Persona 4: Manifest Destiny
by SheriffKing
Summary: "Like the moon has its sky, the man has his loneliness, mistaken as pride." An American city high school boy with country tastes finds himself transferred to a rural Japanese community for a school year under mysterious circumstances just as a series of murders rocks the town. Will his old soul fit in with his new surroundings? Rated T for language and mild suggestive themes.
1. April 11th

April 11th

The young man, Yu Narukami, snapped awake and breathed deeply. His grey eyes peered out the train window across the rural landscape. He brushed a strand of equally grey hair out of his face and stared for a time at the emerald hills off in the distance. A slightly older boy sitting across from him cocked his head.  
"Hey, you alright?" the other boy asked in an American English, temporarily removing the headset from his ears.  
Yu turned his head to face him, "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine." Yu replied softly and returned to his silent vigil.  
The American shrugged his shoulders and laid his head back against the seat, his blonde hair peeking out over the other side, and stared at the ceiling as the Japanese language CD iterated the foreign tongue over and over.  
"Attention, in a few moments we will have arrived at our final destination, Yasoinaba Station. All passengers please prepare to disembark." The announcer's voice rang through the train cars.  
The American was started by the tapping of a finger against his shoulder. Yu was standing next to him.  
"Hey, you're getting off here right?" he asked softly.  
The American blinked, "I...guess? Are we at Yasoinaba?" He asked uncertainly.  
Yu nodded and raised an eyebrow, "That's what they just said."  
The American gathered up his things and followed Yu off the train and onto the platform.  
"Last stop, Yasoinaba. Yasoinaba station." The automated message's chant droned through the air.  
Yu and Michael glanced around. Aside from the scarce other passengers disembarking and the few visible station staff, the place seemed almost deserted.  
"There is absolutely nothing here," Yu muttered in awe.  
"Hum!" The American replied, "That includes our rides it would seem."  
The two looked around and saw not one person awaiting them. A silence hung between them for awhile until the American finally looked in Yu's general direction.  
"I forgot to thank you for back there, I would've missed my stop." The American said and extended his hand, "I'm Michael."  
Yu glanced at his hand for a moment and smiled, accepting it, "I'm Yu, Yu Narukami."  
Michael smiled in response, "If this desolate scene is any indication of the rest of this place, we'll probably be seeing each other around quite a bit."  
Yu nodded, "Yeah, probably."  
They were interrupted by a girl clearing her throat behind them. They both turned and beheld a rather attractive, yet singularly dressed, female approximately two to three years their junior. She stood uncomfortably, her eyes off to one side and her striped stocking-clad legs turned in a defensive manner. One arm was tucked under the crux of the other which held a small piece of paper out lazily.  
"Hey, one of you dropped this," she said.  
Yu and Michael glanced at each other.  
"I didn't." Michael said.  
Yu reached into his pocket and gave a small start, "Oh, yeah, that's mine. Thanks." He admitted and took the paper from the girl.  
"Yeah whatever." The girl scoffed, turned on her heel, and marched in the opposite direction.  
"Huh, a punk chick. Quite the singular character in a place like this,." Michael said.  
Narukami nodded, "Yeah, no kidding."  
"Hey there!" A man's voice called out.  
The two boys turned toward the car park and saw a man dressed in a gray business casual outfit accented by a red tie walking toward them with a small girl in a pink and white dress trailing behind.  
"Gee, you're more handsome in person than in the pictures!" The man said extending a hand to Yu. "Goodness, I haven't seen you since you were in diapers!"  
Yu gave a nervous laugh and Michael noticed a quick glance of uncertainty in his eyes.  
The man noticed this and gave a wry smile, "Ah, you don't remember me do you? I suppose that makes sense, it has been awhile. I'm Ryotaro Dojima, your mother's younger brother." Dojima motioned to the girl clinging to his leg, "This is my daughter, your cousin, Nanako. Go on say hello, Nanako."  
The girl's grip on her father's leg tightened and she partially hid her face from view.  
"H-hello." she replied meekly.  
"Hey what are you being so shy for?" Dojima said with a laugh, receiving a smack on his back by the little girl.  
"Ow!" He said with a laugh. His laughter stopped as his eyes settled on Michael.  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Is this a friend of yours?" Dojima asked.  
Yu shrugged, "We just kinda sat across from each other on the train."  
Michael cleared his throat uncomfortably, "I'm sorry for the intrusion. I think I'll go grab myself a soda. Thanks again Yu-san. I guess I'll see you around."  
"Wait a moment," Dojima called after him.  
Michael stopped and turned, "Yes sir?"  
Dojima rubbed the back of his head, "I apologize, I suppose I was being a little rude. You're not from around here either, are you?"  
Michael gave a small chuckle, "What gave it away?"  
"It's not often we get visitors in Inaba, especially not foreigners. Are you alright being on your own around here?"  
"I appreciate your concern. I'm just waiting until my ride gets here, I'm supposed to meet the concierge from the Amagi Inn."  
Dojima raised his eyebrows, "Ahh, so you're the American exchange student that folks have been talking about."  
Michael looked surprised, "People have been talking about me?"  
Dojima gave a wry smile, "Small town gossip is remarkably efficient, even more so now that all the youngsters are tapping away at those cell phones day in and day out. Hey, if you need a ride, we can swing by the Amagi Inn and drop you off."  
Michael put up a hand and smiled warmly, "Your concern is touching, but I would hate to inconvenience my hosts so early in my stay. Again thank you, and I fear my singular situation has sidetracked your original mandate. I will excuse myself to the soda kiosk. It has been a pleasure meeting you all. I'll see you around."  
With that, Michael turned and headed toward the soda kiosk.  
"He's quite well spoken, " Dojima observed, "Well, anyway, Yu must be exhausted. Nanako, help him with that bag. Let's head home."

Back at the station, Michael downed another refill of water. Train rides make him nauseous and the uncertain excitement of the whole trip did little to calm his nerves. He reached into one of his bags to retrieve his current book of choice when a voice caught his attention.  
"Michael-san!" A harried voice called out.  
Michael turned and saw a well-dressed man jogging toward him. He rose from his sat to meet the man.  
"Michael-san! My deepest apologies! I'm the concierge for the Amagi Inn. I beg a thousand pardons for my tardiness! My car was held up behind a delivery truck that was clearly piloted by an inexperienced driver! I-"  
Michael held up his hand and smiled warmly, "It's all quite alright. You've done me a favor, really. I get sickeningly claustrophobic and this brief time of open air has done wonders for my temperament. Let this truly serendipitous trespass be an absolved one."  
The man bowed and led Michael to the waiting car.  
"Please sir, relax and enjoy the ride." The man said cheerfully, as the car cruised softly down the street.

Michael's car finally arrived in front of the Amagi Inn. The old inn built in the traditional Japanese architecture gave a very warm and inviting vibe. Michael stepped out of the car as the concierge collected his bags. Michael noticed and gathered up a few of them himself.  
"No sir, please, you don't have to do that. I'll have the porter out here in a jiffy to collect your remaining belongings." The concierge insisted, placing his hand on the strap of one of the duffel bags.  
Michael smiled, "Considering I'm gonna be spending an entire year here, I have every intention of pitching in however and wherever I can. Carrying my own bags would be an adequate start."  
Michael glanced at the man's torso and noticed a discrepancy in the tucked, neatly pressed shirt. He continued, "Besides, I couldn't allow your back problems to worsen on my account. As a fellow victim of the affliction, I am a strong advocate for team lifting."  
The concierge raised his eyebrows in shock, "How did you know my back was acting up? I hope I hadn't groaned or anything else unpleasant!"  
Michael chuckled and shook his head, "No no, I just happened to notice the outline of your back brace underneath your shirt. A wise precaution, I might add."  
The concierge looked down at the aforementioned outline and laughed, "You have a good eye, sir."

The two men carried the bags into the front lobby of the inn. Three individuals dressed in kimonos stood assembled to greet them. An adult male, an adult female, and a teenage female approximately Michael's age made up the welcoming group. The three bowed.  
"Michael-san, welcome to the Amagi Inn." The man spoke first, "I am Mr. Amagi, this is my wife, Mrs. Amagi," The older woman bowed and placed her hands upon the shoulders of the young girl, "And this is our daughter, Yukiko." She finished. Yukiko bowed, "I hope you enjoy your stay..." She said quietly.  
Michael set down his bags and bowed in response.  
"You honor me. Your establishment is beautiful." Michael replied with a smile, "I am looking forward to the coming year."  
Mrs. Amagi smiled, "Your words are kind. My husband will show you to your room and have your bags brought up to you. We are having a meal prepared for you, after that trip you must be famished."  
Michael began to politely protest, but an audible growl from his stomach made him flush and betrayed the urgency of his hunger. If only for an instant, he noticed the briefest flash of an amused smirk on the young Yukiko's face.  
"I'll tell the chef we may need a larger portion." Mrs. Amagi said with a laugh.  
Michael, the concierge, and Mr. Amagi brought the remainder of the luggage to Michael's room. The moment he stepped inside he was overcome with wonder. The residential architecture was far different from the streets and train stations he had visited thus far in the country. The room was meticulously kept and organized with the charming warmth of a country residence. Despite seeming somewhat minimalist in appearance, Michael identified nearly all the necessities for the life of a bachelor and high school student while at the same time keeping with an elegant and conservative furnishing. Michael turned to his host.  
"This room is absolutely beautiful and so well kept. It would feel a blasphemy to put even one pillow out of place." He said earnestly.  
Mr. Amagi smiled and shook his head, "Please, make yourself entirely at home. You will be spending the whole year with us, I would hate for you spend it walking on eggshells."  
"I'll keep that in mind, Amagi-san."

Michael was summoned to the private dining room of the Amagi Inn for supper. The faces of the assembled Amagi family met him, and he them with a smile, as he sat down. He let out an involuntary grunt as he dropped to a cross-legged position at the low table.  
"You aren't used to sitting this way are you?" Mrs. Amagi asked.  
Michael chuckled dryly, "One of the many differences I will grow used to, I am sure."  
Before him lay a modest assortment of, what he assumed, where Japanese staple dishes. He could recognize the sushi and tofu quite easily, but the rest was lost on him.  
He looked up to address his hosts, "I shamefully admit that, despite my limited yet diligent studies of your country's etiquette, I am very likely to slip into standard habits of my homeland that you may find inconsiderate or rude. I implore your forgiveness in advance and equally entreat you to abandon all tact to educate me."  
Mr. Amagi smiled, "No need to worry about that. We were informed by your sponsor that you are very unfamiliar with our ways. Learn at your own pace and do not fear reprisal."  
Michael tilted his head, "My sponsor?"  
"Yes, the individual who has paid for your lodgings for the year. They gave us many details about you."  
Michael raised his eyebrow, "But, the exchange program paid for the lodgings, right?"  
Mr. Amagi and Mrs. Amagi looked at each other in confusion.  
"There was no exchange, no student from Inaba has been sent to America, the town would've been abuzz over it. As far as we know, only one person has organized this for you. You weren't aware of this?"  
Michael looked at them with bewilderment, "No, no I didn't. What a singular situation..."  
He broke from his thoughts and noticed the three pairs of eyes were on him. He flushed.  
"Sorry, must've been a clerical confusion. R-Regardless, thank you very much for this food. It all looks fantastic, but if I may..." Michael's voice trailed off as he sought the words for the request he was trying to make.  
"Yes?"  
Michael gave a wry smile, "Put simply, can you tell me what some of this stuff is?"  
The older Amagis chuckled causing Michael to flush further and pulled an embarrassed smirk from his face that quickly made his cheeks sore from the strain.  
"Okay, here goes, this dish here..." Mrs. Amagi began. From the types of dishes that were present, to how to correctly hold chopsticks, to proper tea-pouring etiquette, Michael found himself in a deluge of cultural education that threatened to overwhelm him had his instructors not been so patient.  
Later in the meal, the conversation was composed primarily of the Amagi couple educating Michael on the different points of interest in Inaba as well as general aspects of the country itself.  
"The high school closest to us is Yasogami High, is that where you will be attending?" Mr. Amagi asked.  
Michael nodded, "Yes, that's the one. I believe I am supposed to pick up my uniform from there first thing tomorrow morning. I hate to impose upon you further, but could you perhaps write down some directions for me?"  
Mrs. Amagi shook her head, "There's no need, our Yukiko goes to the same school. You two can walk there together. Right, Yukiko?"  
Michael glanced nervously at the young girl, who's passively somber appearance coupled with her remarkably beautiful looks made a singular feeling of intimidation well from within him.  
"Oh, that won't be necessary. I would hate to impose upon her and I will have to get a rather early start in the morning, I'm afraid."  
"...It's okay, we're both going the same way." Yukiko said so quietly that Michael was not sure whether or not he had imagined it.  
Mr. Amagi smiled, "Then it's all settled. Yukiko will fetch you early tomorrow morning."  
"I appreciate it, Yukiko-san." Michael said with a half-hearted grin. In his mind, he was unable to figure Yukiko out.  
 _Is she just shy? Does she find my presence distasteful? Am I just over-analyzing things again?_ His thoughts nervously raced through his head until he forced himself to silence them.

Michael was lavish in his approbation of the meal and gave his parting pleasantries to the Amagis before returning to his room.  
 _Guess I had better hit the hay early,_ he thought, glancing at the late hour upon the clock face.  
He prepped himself for bed and settled down onto the mattress. He rose his head slightly to the sound of an unusual scuffling and what he thought were raised voices below him. In an instant later, the scuffling stopped. He listened a while longer and heard nothing. He began to settle down once again, but another alien noise roused him from the twilight of his imminent torpor. He swung his feet out and carefully tiptoed to the window. He looked down at the road below and noticed a male figure walking quickly down the footpath away from the inn.  
 _Strange,_ he thought to himself. With a shrug, he drew the curtains again, returned to his bed, and let slumber quickly overtake him.


	2. April 12th

April 12th

The walk was brisk as Michael and Yukiko set out from the inn down the road along the Samegawa Floodplain. The two remained silent and Michael panicked in his mind for ways to break the ice.  
"So, running an inn, must be a rough job." He began.  
"It has its slow days and its busy days." Yukiko replied.  
"I can imagine. How do you still manage to find time for school?"  
"I never really had trouble in school. Catching up can be a hassle, but it never really piled up beyond my control."  
Michael was pleased that the words came easier and clearer from her as the conversation went on.  
"Your parents are very kind people, I don't think I can thank you all enough for your help."  
Yukiko looked up at him and gave a small smile, "Honestly, we've been kind of excited. It's gonna be-"  
Yukiko stopped speaking and looked around. Other high school students had been walking past them and each little group, upon noticing the pair, seemed to suddenly become incredibly chatty, whispering among themselves with increased vigor. Yukiko flushed.  
"I-I'm sorry, I'm not really used to talking alone with a boy my age. I mean, well-" She stammered and, to Michael's dismay, began to quiet down again.  
"Would you believe I'm not really used to talking alone with girls my age?" Michael asked with a dopey grin.  
Yukiko looked up at him with some surprise, "R-Really? You don't seem to mind it much at all..."  
Michael chuckled, "Tell that to the sweat on my forehead."  
Yukiko smiled.  
"Yo!" A voice cried out from behind them.  
The pair turned and saw an athletically built girl with short brown hair, wearing a green sweater adorned with buttons, and a pair of shorts under a school uniform skirt jogging toward them.  
"Oh, hello Chie." Yukiko said.  
"So how long were you gonna hog the American all to yourself?" Chie asked.  
"I-I wasn't 'hogging' him, I was just- ugh, Chie!" Yukiko groaned.  
Chie laughed and extended her hand toward Michael, "I'm Chie Satonaka, Yukiko and I have been best friends since we were tiny. Welcome to Inaba!"  
Michael accepted it and smiled, "I'm Michael King, it's a pleasure."  
"So Yukiko, you showing him the way to school?"  
Yukiko nodded, "Yeah, he's a second year, like us."  
"Whoa, no way! Awesome! Stick with us newbie, Yukiko and I will tell you everything you need to know."  
Michael bowed dramatically, "My fate is in your hands, sensei."  
The trio conversed until they reached the school gates.  
"So which classroom is yours, Michael-kun?" Chie asked.  
"I'm not sure yet. I gotta check in at the faculty office to get my uniform and class assignment."  
Chie nodded, "Okay, well if we don't get the same class, we should still meet up out here after school to walk home together!"  
Michael smiled, "I would like that."  
"Chie, don't be so presumptuous. I'm sorry for bugging you like this." Yukiko said apologetically.  
"Yukiko, don't apologize! You make me look like I got no upbringing!" Chie cried.  
Michael laughed, "No no, I would love to walk home with you girls. I've been having fun."  
Chie smiled and stuck her tongue out at Yukiko, "See Yukiko? We're fun."  
With a parting wave, the pair walked off. Michael stood for a moment longer and stared up at the school building until he heard a familiar voice behind him.  
"Hey, you're here too?"  
Michael turned and saw the boy he met on the train, Yu Narukami.  
"Oh hey, Narukami-san, you going to this school too?"  
Yu nodded, "Yeah, I am. Small world, huh?"  
"Small town." Michael corrected with a smirk.  
Michael glanced over and saw a fellow student walking passed them. He was a thin-built kid, brown hair, with headphones hanging around his neck. His most singular detail was the fact that he was walking doubled over in pain with one hand cupped over his groin and the other leading a squeaking bicycle alongside him.  
"Hey, uh, are you-" Michael began before being beckoned away by Narukami.  
"Let's just leave him be." Yu said and the pair walked into the school.  
The two acquired their class assignments along with Michael's uniform and made it to their homeroom just as the bell rang. Standing behind the desk was a thin, hunched over man with a vicious scowl and a massive overbite, clad in a blue pin-stripe design suit. The moment Michael and Yu walked in to the class, the man's head snapped over and glared at them.  
"The Hell are you standing around for? Approach the desk!" The man snarled.  
Michael and Yu did so. The horrid man turned and addressed the rest of the class.  
"Okay you shit birds, listen up! My name is Kinshiro Morooka, and I will be your homeroom teacher from this moment forward. I want to make one thing perfectly clear: just because it's Spring doesn't mean you knuckle-draggers can start swooning over each other like a bunch of lovesick baboons! As long as I'm still breathing, you're all gonna be pure as driven snow!" Mr. Morooka lectured.  
The students seemed to completely disregard Mr. Morooka and focused their attention entirely on the pair of newcomers. Michael felt small under the scrutiny and began to fidget nervously. Mr. Morooka noticed.  
"Oh, that's right, I'm in charge of a couple of other degenerates. I guess I better get these introductions out of the way."  
Mr. Morooka smacked a hand on Yu's shoulder, "This is Yu Narukami. He's from the city, which means he's likely a malignant pervert. He was thrown out here to the middle of nowhere like yesterday's garbage, just like how the city's litter pollutes our country rivers. Some things never change!"  
Mr. Morooka turned his attention to Michael with an even more vicious visage.  
"And this is an American. You don't need to know his name because it doesn't matter, they're all the same. You see, in America, scumbags like this sorry sack like to sexualize poor, innocent Japanese girls for their sick pleasure. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, young man, if I even THINK you're trying to make a move on one of these poor girls then God help me I'll-"  
Morooka was cut off by a raised hand.  
"Excuse me, but can the new people sit with us?" A familiar voice asked.  
Michael looked up and saw Chie was the one who spoke.  
"There are empty seats next to Yukiko and I!"  
Morooka was dumbfounded and stared at her, "...sure." He said at last before turning his fury back to the two boys.  
"You hear that? Take your damn seats! Remember: pure. as. driven. snow."  
Michael sat next to Yukiko and Yu took the seat next to Chie.  
"Isn't he just the worst? Sucks that you two got stuck with King Moron your first day here." Chie whispered.  
"Hey! Shut your traps! I'm taking roll and I expect you to sound off clearly and orderly!" Mr. Morooka snapped.  
 _There's always gotta be that one guy,_ Michael thought glumly to himself. With a grunt, he pulled his materials out from his backpack and settled in to the lecture.

The dismissal bell rang and as the students began gathering up their belongings, the intercom came to life.  
"Attention! Faculty members please report to the faculty lounge for a brief staff meeting. All students are ordered to remain within the school building until further instructions are issued. I repeat..." The announcement went on.  
Michael glanced around, "Does this happen often?"  
Chie shook her head, "No, this is kinda weird."  
Suddenly, a male student broke away from a group that had formed near the window and approached Yukiko's desk.  
"Hey, uh, Yukiko-san? Is it true that Mayumi Yamano is staying at your family's inn?" The boy asked shakily.  
"I can't discuss such matters," Yukiko replied quietly.  
"Oh, right. Yeah, of course heh... sorry to bother you," The boy fled.  
Suddenly, the room went quiet and in the distance the sound of sirens became apparent and steadily grew louder. The students ran to the window and looked out. Beyond the campus, police cars were visible and racing down the roads around the school zone. The voices of multiple students began to become audible and intelligible.  
"Whoa, what's going on?"  
"What are the police here for?"  
"Is it the North Koreans?"  
"Don't be stupid!"  
The classroom grew increasingly louder until the din of conversation was interrupted again by the intercom.  
"Attention students! There has been an incident and police officers have been dispatched around the School Zone! All students are ordered to contact their parents or guardians at once and proceed directly home! Do not disturb the police officers! I repeat..." The announcement went on.  
"Whoa, an incident? I wonder what that could be," Chie wondered aloud.  
"I guess we should do what they said and get straight home," Michael said, concerned.  
"We are, they said to go home, didn't they? And we will...eventually," Chie said with a wink.  
Despite the commotion, Yu started towards the door before the rest of the class. Chie stopped him.  
"Hold up! You're from the city right?" She asked him.  
Yu turned and nodded, "Yeah, I am."  
Chie was joined by Michael and Yukiko.  
"I'm Chie Satonaka, and this is my friend, Yukiko."  
Yukiko bowed slightly, "Hello."  
"And this is our new buddy from across the ocean, Michael."  
"We've met." Yu said with a small smile.  
"Hey how about you walk home with us? I've got all kinds of questions, for both of you!" Chie offered.  
"Aw c'mon Chie, maybe he has plans? I'm sorry to be so pushy..." Yukiko said to Yu.  
"Sheesh Yukiko that's the second time today..." Chie winced.  
"Hey, uh, Miss Satonaka?" A meek voice said from behind them. The group turned and Michael recognized it as belonging to the distressed boy he saw that morning.  
"Oh, Yosuke, what's up?" Chie asked.  
Yosuke produced a DVD case from his satchel.  
"Thank you so much for letting me borrow this, the movie was awesome and...and..." Yosuke stammered.  
"...and?" Chie asked slowly.  
Yosuke bowed apologetically and held the case out.  
"I'm so sorry it was an accident! I'll pay you back when I get my next paycheck, I swear!" He stammered and made a run for the door.  
"Hold it! What did you do to my DVD?!" Chie chased after him and delivered a gut-wrenching kick to the boy's crotch, sending him into the fetal position. Chie popped open the case and gasped with a look of horror.  
"You completely cracked it! My 'Trial Of The Dragon'!" Chie shrieked.  
"Y-yeah I think you cracked me too...critical hit to the nads..." Yosuke groaned, still rolling on the floor.  
"Oh, oh my. Are you okay?" Yukiko asked.  
Yosuke smiled through the gasps for breath, "Oh, Yukiko-san? Are you worried about me?"  
"He's fine, let's go Yukiko." Chie huffed.  
"I better leave him be," Yu agreed.  
Yukiko and Yu followed Chie out, but Michael stopped and looked pitifully at the writhing figure of Yosuke. Finally, he walked over and offered a hand to him.  
Yosuke accepted it and slowly rose to his feet.  
"Thanks man, you're a pal." Yosuke wheezed.  
"Can you walk?" Michael asked.  
Yosuke smirked, "Yeah, this isn't the first time I suffered the Galactic Punt of Chie Satonaka."  
Michael nodded and made for the door, "I'll see you tomorrow then."  
Michael trotted down the hallway to catch up with the group. Chie was already pelting Yu with questions and Michael came under a similar assault shortly after. They walked the road out of the School Zone past some farm fields.  
"You two probably aren't gonna find much to be excited about around here. Inaba doesn't really have anything special about it." Chie explained. "Er, well, I mean, Mt. Yasogami has some pretty neat pottery that seems to do well with collectors. Oh, duh! The Amagi Inn!" She exclaimed excitedly, looking at Yukiko.  
"Oh it's just an old inn..." Yukiko said modestly.  
"Psh, not even! It practically keeps the town alive! It's featured in all those travel magazines as a hidden treasure and stuff. Oh wait, you're staying there huh, Michael? It's awesome isn't it?"  
"It's beautiful, the staff treated me like family right off the bat. The view is gorgeous as well." Michael replied earnestly.  
Chie snickered, "Is that so? The view, huh?"  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Yeah...the view?"  
Chie's smile grew more mischievous.  
"So Narukami-kun, Mikey-kun, out with it. You think Yukiko's cute, huh?"  
Michael, Yu, and Yukiko were all visibly taken aback by the blunt inquisition.  
"Chie!" Yukiko exclaimed, her face flushed immediately.  
"I don't think there's really a wise way to answer that at this point." Yu said quickly.  
"Red is a very nice color for her." Michael said evasively.  
Yukiko flushed even more, but Chie's face grew delighted.  
"Ha! I knew it!" She shouted triumphantly.  
"Stop it!" Yukiko groaned.  
Noticing her discomfort, Michael changed the subject.  
"So, where are we headed anyway?" Michael asked.  
"We figured we'd stop by Junes and grab some cheap grub and maybe do a bit of window shopping." Chie replied.  
"What's Junes?"  
Chie looked shocked, "You don't know what Junes is? Oh, that's right, you're American. Well Junes is kind of THE department store to go to around here. They just opened up a new branch here in Inaba."  
"Ah, I see. Well, I better call and let the Amagis know where we'll be." Michael said, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone.  
"Why does that matter?"  
"Well, I'm sure they'll want to know that the police officers flying all over the place have nothing to do with us." Michael said, as if that fact was incredibly apparent.  
Yukiko gave a start, "Oh, yeah, you're right. The announcement did say to notify our parents huh?"  
Chie pinched the bridge of her nose, "Oh great, another total square."  
"W-what do you mean?" Yukiko stammered.  
Chie waved her off, but then looked up and pointed in surprise up ahead, "Look!"  
At an intersection in the distance, multiple police cars could be seen blocking off the streets, their lights flashing red and blue.  
"I guess we should take a different street." Michael suggested.  
"Are you kidding? Don't you wanna see what's going on?" Chie insisted, rather than asked.  
"Yeah, totally." Yu affirmed.  
Michael and Yukiko looked at each other and sighed.  
The group came upon the scene where a small crowd of neighborhood housewives had already taken up a noisy vigil of the police proceedings. As the group approached, the conversations became discernible.  
"...body was hanging from the roof, right?" One woman said to another.  
"Yeah, one of the high school students found it when she was coming home from school." The other replied.  
"What was she doing walking all alone this early anyway? If you ask me..." The conversation strayed more and more off-topic.  
Chie turned to the others, "Did she say body?!"  
"Hanging from a roof," Michael confirmed.  
Suddenly, a young man dressed in an open blue suit burst from the scene with his hands cupped over his mouth. His sprint ended at a roadside gutter where he proceeded to empty the contents of his stomach into a storm drain. Shortly after him, a familiar and distinguished man emerged, shaking his head. Michael recognized him as Yu's uncle, Ryotaro Dojima.  
"Adachi! When are you gonna quit acting like a rookie?! Do you want me to send you back to filing papers at the central office?!" Dojima scolded the young detective who was still retching by the side of the road.  
"S-sorry," The man known as Adachi responded shakily. Dojima pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.  
"Look, just go wash your face. We're going to do door-to-door interviews."  
By chance, Dojima glanced over and noticed the group of high schoolers observing the scene. He approached them with a severe look on his face.  
"You...What are you doing here?" He asked.  
"We were just passing through," Yu replied.  
Dojima rubbed the back of his neck with an irritated expression on his face, "That damn principal, I told him to keep you kids away from here."  
Dojima looked over the other kids before his eyes came to rest on Michael.  
"Ah, we meet again. You're...Michael-san, right?"  
Michael nodded, "Yes sir, Dojima-san. Good to see you again."  
Dojima grunted, "Likewise. Sorry, I know you and my nephew are probably very eager to begin exploring your new surroundings, but you both came at a strange time..."  
Dojima looked uncomfortable for a moment before regaining his composure.  
"Well for those of you who don't know me, I'm Ryotaro Dojima, Yu's guardian. I don't really know how to put this, but I hope you all get along with him."  
"Hey detective!" A voice came from behind the crime scene tape.  
"I'll be right there!" Dojima hollered back and turned once more to the group.  
"Look, you all should head straight home. Be safe." Dojima turned and disappeared behind the crime scene tape once more.  
"Whoa, your uncle's a detective?" Chie asked, turning to Yu.  
"Yeah." He replied.  
"And he seems like a pretty hard guy to rattle, yet he was clearly shaken by what happened here. Plus, that detective puked at whatever he had the misfortune to witness." Michael observed, scratching his beard thoughtfully.  
"Did they really find a body?" Yukiko asked quietly.  
"Geez, I'm getting the chills. Is it okay if we go to Junes some other time?" Chie asked pleadingly.  
"That would be best." Yu said.  
"Michael, Yukiko, let's get going." Chie said, "it was nice meeting you, Narukami. See you tomorrow!"  
Yu held up a hand in response, "Yeah, take care."  
Michael, Chie, and Yukiko made their way down the road to the shopping district.  
"Sorry your first full day in Inaba has been so freaky, Mikey-kun. It isn't normally like this," Chie said.  
Michael shrugged and smiled, "Can't be helped. I had fun regardless."  
Chie shivered, "Ugh, I just can't get the thought of a body hanging from a roof out of my head. And they said one of our classmates may have found it? I can't imagine what that must've been like."  
"We'll be safe, just exercise vigilance and caution. How much further is it to your house, Chie?" Michael said.  
"Oh, we're going by the bus stop first, it's on the way there."  
Michael gave her a serious look, "Now I hope I'm not being presumptuous, but considering the circumstances I don't think it would be prudent to let you walk home by yourself."  
Chie flushed, "W-well I-"  
"He's right, Chie. We'll walk with you." Yukiko affirmed.  
"Aww, you guys!" Chie smiled.  
Yukiko and Michael walked Chie to her home and bid their farewells before turning back toward the shopping district. The sun was beginning to set and the streets were bathed in a warm dark orange. The already scarce patrons of the shopping district had mostly returned home and the pair found themselves walking a deserted street.  
"Well, she's perky." Michael said.  
Yukiko smiled, "Chie's been my best friend since we were little. We do everything together."  
"How did you two meet?"  
"It's really not much a story to be honest..." Yukiko replied.  
"Then tell me about yourself, what do you want to do once you graduate?"  
Yukiko looked up at him in shock.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Uh, did I say that wrong?"  
Yukiko shook her head quickly, "No no not at all, it's just that..." She began to blush, "No one ever asked me that before."  
"Really? No one asked you what you want to do when you grow up? That's a pretty common question where I come from."  
"It's just that people automatically assume I want to inherit and run the inn." Yukiko said with a sigh.  
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say you aren't too keen on the idea."  
"No, no I mean I am, but..." Yukiko struggled to explain herself.  
"Hey, it's all right. Not everyone knows what's best for them, especially not this early on," Michael replied in his most comforting voice.  
"I- I suppose not. But..." Yukiko's eyes began to water and Michael immediately regretted ever being born.  
"That's a cute headband by the way, red suits you." He said quickly.  
Yukiko's mood did a complete turnaround and she looked up at Michael with a big smile.  
"Thank you, Chie says red looks good on me, too."  
The two conversed until their bus arrived just as the sun began to set.

Yukiko and Michael arrived back at the inn and were caught by Yukiko's mother as they entered the lobby.  
"Oh, there you are! I was worried about you two, what with all the excitement!" Mrs. Amagi said.  
Michael and Yukiko bowed apologetically and Michael began to explain.  
"It's my fault, with the possibility of a murderer on the loose here in this small town, I didn't feel it would be proper to allow Chie-san to walk home alone. The blame falls to me, I-" He was cut off by Mrs. Amagi .  
"Oh my, don't be saying all that! It was very nice of you two to think of Chie-chan's safety and you even called to check in with us, just as you're supposed to!"  
Yukiko and Michael exchanged relieved glances.  
"Now why don't you two set down your book bags and get washed up! I already had baths drawn for both of you and supper will be ready shortly!"  
Mrs. Amagi bowed and shuffled off to tend to the inn's patrons.  
Michael turned to Yukiko, "Well then, I guess I'll see you at dinner."  
Yukiko smiled and nodded, "Yes. Oh, did you need help translating the kanjis for your homework?"  
Michael shook his head, "No no, you have enough work to do without babysitting me. I'll be fine."  
Before she could protest, Michael gave her a small wave and ascended the stairs to his quarters.

With the final stroke of his pen, Michael's homework was finished. He closed his books and surveyed his room until his eyes fell on the TV.  
 _Well, at least I'll understand the pictures_ , he thought. With a press of a button, the TV came to life. He played with the channels until a news report caught his eye.  
"Breaking News," the anchor began, "This morning a body was found in the rural community of Inaba! The deceased has been identified as the body of famous announcer, Mayumi Yamano. The body was found hanging from a local home's TV antenna. Ms. Yamano has reached the peak of her fame recently after revelations of an affair with city council secretary, Taro Namatame, came to light. Inaba Police are remaining tight lipped about the incident and are currently unwilling to say if the incident was accidental or an intentional homicide."  
Michael clicked off the TV and took a deep breath.  
 _Wow, my second day in Japan and I've run into the scene of a death. Ironically, this never happened to me back in LA.  
_ He stepped out of his room and looked down the stairs. The Amagis were busy tending to the dinners of the guests whose business kept them out long past normal hours. Michael stepped into the lobby and caught Mr. Amagi on his way back to the kitchen.  
"Pardon me Amagi-san, do you have a moment?"  
Mr. Amagi stopped and gave Michael his full attention, "Of course, is something wrong? Need new towels?"  
Michael shook his head, "No no, nothing like that." Michael glanced over Mr. Amagi's shoulder at the dining room filled with guests.  
"Perhaps there is somewhere out of the earshot of your patrons?" Michael suggested.  
Mr. Amagi raised an eyebrow, "I suppose so."  
Michael followed Mr. Amagi into the kitchen before finally speaking.  
"It's regarding the incident that occurred this morning." Michael began.  
"Oh, the police activity all over town? What about it?" Mr. Amagi asked.  
Michael lowered his voice, "I just saw a news report confirming that a dead body was the cause behind it."  
Mr. Amagi looked shocked, "My God..."  
Michael continued, "The deceased was identified as Ms. Mayumi Yamano. Considering the circumstances I th-"  
Mr. Amagi placed a firm hand on Michael's shoulder.  
"Ms. Yamano?! Are you sure?"  
Michael nodded, "I am. Do you know her?"  
Mr. Amagi pinched the bridge of his nose and looked down with a sigh.  
"I do...I did. I'm sorry, but information like that is confidential and I can't reveal the details until I've spoken to the police."  
Michael held up his hands, "I understand completely. I just wanted to inform you now so that you'll know there may be danger lurking out there. I bring this to your attention for family's sake. If I have overstepped my bounds, I apologize."  
Mr. Amagi sighed again and shook his head. He raised his eyes to meet Michael's and gave a half-hearted smile.  
"No no Michael-san, I appreciate your concern. Your attention to safety gives me peace of mind."  
Mr. Amagi perked up and looked over Michael's shoulder. Michael turned to look at what caught his attention and noticed that Dojima and his young partner, Adachi, had entered the lobby.  
"Ah, the police are here. I will have to see to them. Michael-san, thank you again. Please help yourself to anything you need while you're down here." With that, Mr. Amagi hurried out to greet the detectives. Michael turned to leave as well, but not before he bumped into Yukiko.  
"Hey, you're up late." Michael said.  
"What's going on down here?" Yukiko asked, nodding toward the lobby where Dojima, Adachi, Mr. Amagi, and now Mrs. Amagi were standing.  
"You know the crime scene we saw this morning? Local gossip has since been confirmed, there was a body discovered there. The body of a Ms. Mayumi Yamano." Michael explained.  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "Oh, oh my goodness." Yukiko found a chair and sat down.  
"They're probably going to want to talk to us. I can stall them while you go get your shut-eye." Michael offered.  
Yukiko slowly shook her head, "No, no I'm fine. Have they said anything to you?"  
"No, not yet. I'm letting your parents handle it."  
Yukiko put her head in her hands, "That's just so scary. That someone could be taken and killed like that, someone who lived under our roof, in our care."  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck.  
 _Damn, I hate this part,_ he thought to himself.  
"There there, they don't know if it was a homicide yet. It could've been a proper strange accident." Michael suggested, but he knew he was grasping at straws.  
"M-Maybe, but-" Before she could finished, Dojima stepped across the kitchen threshold.  
"Excuse me, I hope I'm not interrupting anything." He said.  
Michael rose from Yukiko's side. "No sir, how can we help you?"  
"I was wondering if you two could answer some questions for us."  
Michael looked down at Yukiko, "Are you up for it?"  
Yukiko wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'll help however I can." She rose from her chair.  
"I'm sorry, this won't take long." Dojima said as soothingly as possible.

The detectives questioned the pair for about an hour before bidding their thanks and turning to leave. Before they could, Michael stopped them.  
"Excuse me officers, but what are you going to do about protecting the inn?" Michael asked.  
Dojima and Adachi looked at each other.  
"Well, we don't have any reason to believe anyone else at the inn is going to be targeted. Do you have reason to think otherwise?" Dojima asked.  
Michael shook his head, "No, but I think it would give the family some peace of mind if an officer remained on the premises for a night or two."  
Dojima thought for a moment before nodding, "Perhaps I can convince them to station a plainclothes officer here, you know, to 'preserve evidence'." He said with a wink.  
Michael smiled and extended his hand, "Thank you sir, you've no idea how much it means to me."  
Dojima accepted it, "Don't mention it."  
"Wow Dojima-san, you're actually a pretty nice guy." Adachi said in awe.  
The smile immediately vacated Dojima's features and he turned furiously upon his subordinate, "Shut your goddamn mouth, come on."  
Adachi sighed and the two marched out the front door.  
Michael returned to the Amagi family who were huddled around each other in discussion.  
"To think a murder might have happened here..." Michael heard Mrs. Amagi say. He cleared his throat.  
"Ah, Michael-san, I am so sorry you had to be subjected to this horrid business." Mr. Amagi said.  
"You have nothing to be sorry for. In any event, I come bearing good news."  
"Oh? Please, indulge us, we could use it."  
"I've spoken to Detective Dojima regarding my concerns for your safety. He has agreed to station a plainclothes officer here for a time as security against any further trespasses." Throughout his narrative, Michael seemed to be directing his words to Yukiko.  
Mr. Amagi nodded stoically, while Mrs. Amagi gave a sigh of relief.  
"Aren't we supposed to be your guardians?" Mrs. Amagi said with a light-hearted smile.  
"We're all in this together," Michael said, filling a mug with coffee before taking a seat in the lobby.  
"You do realize tonight is a school night, right?" Yukiko asked him.  
Michael put on his reading glasses, picked up a magazine from the rack next to him, and began thumbing through it.  
"Yes, it is." He replied simply.  
"Don't you want to sleep?"  
Michael looked her in the eye from over his glasses, "When the plainclothes officer arrives, I will do just that. Until then," Michael narrowed his eyes on the current page, "I will be educating myself on these riveting tales of 'The Trendiest Fashions For A Tokyo Teen'." Michael said these last words with pain in his voice, inciting a giggle from Yukiko.  
"Before I go, can I get you anything?" Yukiko asked.  
"No, but you can do one better and get yourself a good night's sleep." Michael replied without looking up from his magazine.  
Yukiko yawned and nodded, "I'll try, good night Michael-kun."  
Michael gave a brief wave over his shoulder in response and the night went on.


	3. April 13th

April 13th

Yukiko came down the stairs to find Michael eating a plate of eggs and toast at the dining table. He had his short blonde hair back into its usual spiked-back style and had freshly shaved around his goatee. When she stepped in to the room, he looked up. His eyes were bloodshot and sported pronounced bags just below them.  
"Mornin'." He said simply before taking another bite of his toast. He noticed she was dressed in her work kimono.  
"Good morning, did you get any sleep?" Yukiko asked with a touch of concern.  
Michael wiped his mouth with a napkin, "The plainclothes officer arrived about an hour ago, so I got about thirty minutes or so of shut eye in. How about you?"  
She responded with a tired shrug, "It definitely could've been better."  
"Understandable. Want me to get you some breakfast?" Michael offered.  
Yukiko shook her head, "I'll get some in a bit, I have to get the inn ready to receive visitors. I'm acting manager today."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "On a school day? Is that normal this time of year?"  
Yukiko winced, "My mother is under the weather."  
"Too much stress with everything going on lately, eh?"  
"Well that and- never mind." Yukiko bit her lip.  
"If you say so. Here let me give you a hand." Michael picked up his empty dishes and carried them to the kitchen.  
"Oh that won't be necessary, you're our guest and-"  
Michael turned on her with a serious look, "Your parents are my guardians, the fact that I'm staying in a room in their inn is simply warranted by the situation." With that, he went about washing the dishes.  
"I can't ask you to do that..."  
"Then let the record show that you didn't."  
Yukiko looked defeated, but part of her was relieved that she had the extra help.  
"Okay, fine. But only until you have to leave for school."  
Michael gave a mischievous smile, "King Moron's scintillating sermons? I wouldn't miss those for the world."  
Yukiko's face brightened into an amused grin and she went about her work.

Hours later, the breakfast rush was at its peak and the staff were busy rushing from table to kitchen and back again. Michael had ensconced himself within the well-oiled machine that was the inn staff by acting as a buffer between dining room and the kitchen, taking the stacks of heavy dishes off the hands of haggard waitresses and porting them to the sink to be washed. The fatigue from his lack of sleep was all but forgotten as his mind slipped into the fluid motions of his labor. That is, until an excited voice snapped him from it.  
"Michael-kun!" He heard a familiar voice say.  
Michael snapped out of his trance and looked over to see Yukiko staring at him.  
"You're late for school!" She said severely.  
"By how long?"  
"Two hours!"  
Michael shrugged, "Then staying the rest of the day won't matter much."  
Yukiko sighed and pulled him off to the side.  
"I appreciate your help, I really do. But if you do poorly in school, I can't help but feel that would be all on me." Yukiko said, her expression seemed conflicted.  
"I'll take full responsibility for whatever minuscule consequences I may face for missing one day of school."  
Yukiko sighed, "You don't understand, in our society-"  
"Society isn't a one-size-fits-all entity. I'm not gonna let myself be denied something just because someone I don't even know will wag their finger behind my back."  
Yukiko stared at him for a moment and a look of revelation slowly came over her features.  
"Michael-kun...you've given me a lot to think about."  
"I did?"  
Yukiko nodded solemnly, "...Very well, if you wish to continue helping today, you may do so."  
With that, Yukiko turned and went back to her labor.  
 _Did I say something wrong?_ Michael thought to himself. He shook his head and like his hostess, returned to his duties.

Late in the afternoon, Chie entered the lobby of the Amagi Inn. The staff were cleaning everything in preparation for dinner, but many recognized Chie and greeted her warmly with a few making promises to announce her presence to Yukiko. True to their word, Yukiko emerged from within the inn, flanked by Michael who was carrying a toolbox at his side.  
"Hello, Chie." Yukiko said sweetly.  
"Hey you two! I was wondering where you were!" Chie said.  
"Oh, did you call me? Sorry, I haven't had the time to check my phone." Yukiko said apologetically.  
Chie pointed an accusatory finger at Michael, "And just what is your excuse?" She said dramatically with a playful smile on her face.  
"Just doing my part," Michael replied, giving the toolbox a shake.  
"Wish we could've traded places," Chie groaned, reaching into her book bag and producing a handful of papers.  
"Here's your homework and a few pages of notes that I had photocopied for you." Chie said.  
Yukiko and Michael accepted them and gave them a cursory glance.  
"Are these your notes, Chie?" Michael asked.  
Chie laughed nervously, "O-Of course they are, who else would they be?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "That's impossible. This handwriting is lovely, I can barely understand your's." She said rather matter-of-factly.  
Chie winced, "Yukiko! Ugh, okay fine, they might be Narukami's."  
"I can guarantee you my handwriting is even worse." Michael said with a smile.  
"Oooh, let's see!" Chie said excitedly.  
"No dice." Michael replied mischievously.  
"Darn!" Chie snapped her fingers in dramatic gesture of defeat.  
"Hey, I know it's busy around here and all, but do you guys have the time to hang out at Junes with us? I'm going to meet up with Yosuke and Narukami there now."  
"I'm sorry, but I really can't leave the inn right now. But if you want to go, Michael, you don't have to hang around here." Yukiko said.  
A waitress appeared from one of the adjoining rooms.  
"Michael-kun, a guest is saying the lock on the women's bath is broken, can you take care of that?" She asked.  
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, "Considering this particular batch of guests, I wouldn't be surprised if that was done intentionally." He grumbled before nodded politely to Chie.  
"Sorry, but I still have work to catch up on around here. Thanks again for bringing the homework by, and extend my thanks to Narukami for the use of his notes."  
Michael turned to Yukiko, "By your leave."  
With that, Michael walked off in the direction of the baths.  
"Wow, you got him trained." Chie teased.  
"Stop it! He volunteered to stay!" Yukiko said defensively.  
"Oh really? 'By your leave', huh?" Chie persisted.  
"He does that as a show of respect, this is a conservative inn and- Gosh, Chie..." Yukiko began to flush.  
Chie laughed, "Okay, okay. Well don't work him too hard. Same goes for you. I know you're gonna inherit the inn and all, that's just the way it is. But no need to break your back so early in the game."  
Yukiko's face drooped and she seemed to stare right through Chie for a moment. Chie waved a hand in front of her face.  
"Hellooooooo? You okay?"  
Yukiko snapped back into reality and forced a smile, "Yes, Chie. Thank you. I'm sorry, I have to go back to work. Thanks for bringing by the homework, you're a good friend."  
Chie smiled, "Don't mention it. Well, I'll call you later I guess." With that, Chie turned and left.  
 _That's just the way it is._ The words echoed again in Yukiko's head.  
"Yuki-chan, can you give me a hand here please?" A waitress called out from the dining room.  
"Oh, yes, of course!" Yukiko snapped out of her introspection and hurried to the aid of her employee.

Michael flopped backwards onto his bed. His arms ached and his legs felt tingly as the blood that had pooled within them from the eight or so hours of standing had begun to rush to the rest of his body.  
 _Still not as bad as fourth of July at the grocery store,_ Michael thought to himself, reflecting on his old summer job.  
After a few minutes of much needed silence, he slowly worked his way back up to a sitting position at the edge of the mattress. He had reached down to his book bag to retrieve his homework when he heard a knock on his door. He pulled a knife out from his book bag instead and concealed it in his back pocket before approaching the door.  
"Yes?" He called out.  
"Your room service, sir." Came Yukiko's voice from the other side.  
Michael raised an eyebrow and opened the door, "I didn't order room service."  
Yukiko smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, I needed a professional excuse to come up here. It wouldn't be proper for me to come to your room without a good reason."  
"So they say. So, what's up?"  
"I just wanted to thank you for your help today, you didn't have to pitch in so much. Especially not for an entire shift."  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "Work keeps us on the right side of the grass."  
"Well, not just the work, but staying up all night too to keep us feeling safe. It really did help."  
Michael's tired eyes softened, "Hearing that makes it all worthwhile. Which reminds me, how is your mother doing?"  
Yukiko looked down, "She's just exhausted, but she wants so bad to get back to work. With the news of Ms. Yamano's death, she just collapsed."  
"I get the impression that, other than the controversy surrounding her, Ms. Yamano was an extraordinary guest in one way or another."  
Yukiko looked around nervously, "I can't really discuss such things. Please understand."  
Michael nodded, "I do. Is there anything she needs, medicine or something?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, we have the standard medications on hand at all times. Honestly, she just needs rest and quiet."  
Michael gave a wry smile, "Many folks nowadays need the same, just refuse to admit it. Please, give her my respects."  
Yukiko smiled, "I will, thank you." She turned to leave.  
"Hey, hold on." Michael called after her.  
Yukiko turned, "Yes?"  
He pointed at the tray she was carrying, "On second thought, you can leave the coffee," he said.  
Yukiko smiled and extended the tray to him. He picked up the mug and brought it to his lips for a sip.  
"Much obliged."  
Yukiko gave a small bow and disappeared down the hall.  
Michael shut the door and returned to his homework, but his mind kept wandering to the murder. He pulled the knife from his back pocket and looked it over before shaking his head.  
 _You're getting paranoid,_ he said to himself. But curiosity eventually overtook him and he flicked on the TV to the nightly news.  
"...and we go now to our interview with the high school girl who found the body." The announcer said. The scene changed to the view of a girl's face blurred out, her voice distorted. Michael did notice, however, that she was wearing a Yasogami High uniform.  
"So what was it like, seeing the body there?" The reporter asked.  
"Um..." The distorted voice replied.  
"Why were you leaving school so early, anyway?"  
"That's personal..." The voice got defensive.  
Michael shook his head and shut off the TV in disgust, "Christ, the girl found a body hanging from a TV antennae, give her a break."  
Michael finally buckled down and forced his eyes open to finish the last of his homework into the darkest hours of the night.


	4. April 14th

April 14th

Michael woke to a gentle knocking at his door. His eyes stung when he opened them and he felt like a bronco had been tap dancing on his sinuses.  
"Coming," he managed to groan as he rose to feet and threw on his blue jeans and a white undershirt quickly before opening the door. He found Yukiko standing there, wide awake and in her Yasogami uniform.  
"S-Sorry, but you're gonna be late for school." She stammered, noticing his haggard appearence.  
Michael glanced over at the clock and confirmed she was right.  
"Shit," he cursed and rubbed his temples. "Thanks for that, I'll be down in a second."

Michael emerged in the lobby dressed in his Yasogami uniform. He looked around and saw the staff hurrying about again. Yukiko was waiting for him at the landing.  
"You're not in charge today?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, the largest party of guests checked out last night, so my father can handle the inn for today."  
As they walked toward the door, Michael nodded at the plainclothes policeman sitting just inside, "My respects," he said simply.  
The officer nodded in response and Michael and Yukiko stepped out the door into the street just as it began to rain.  
"Damn," Michael cursed.  
"What's the matter?" Yukiko asked.  
"Where I come from, we get rain maybe once or twice a year. I'm not in the habit of keeping an umbrella handy."  
"You can borrow one from inside," Yukiko offered.  
"I'll do just that, be right back."

When Michael emerged a few moments later from the inn, Chie was standing outside with Yukiko. Michael noticed that she looked exceptionally tired and their walk to school was notably quieter.  
"I'm just saying guys, I went through Hell yesterday," Chie groaned.  
"What happened?" Yukiko asked.  
"I'll tell you two all about it later, there's a good chance you won't even believe it."  
"I'm sure Narukami and Yosuke will elaborate further," Michael said.  
Chie gave him a startled look, "Wait, what? How would you know that?"  
Michael shrugged, "You said you were going to hang out with them at Junes yesterday."  
Chie blinked, "Oh, yeah, right. I did tell you guys that, huh?"  
As they approached the gates, an insecure voice emerged from the rain.  
"Hey, aren't you Yukiko?" The voice asked.  
The three high schoolers turned and saw a droopy boy wearing another high school's uniform standing slouched by the gates. The boy approached and as he drew closer, Michael noticed the boy's most singular feature were his large bulging eyes that reminded him immediately of the fry fish he would catch by the bucketful off the pier.  
"I've been waiting all morning, Yukiko," the boy rasped.  
The boy positioned himself so that he blocked their path.  
"Who are you?" Yukiko asked so quietly that her words were drowned out in the pitter-patter of the raindrops.  
"Come on, let's go hang out somewhere, Yuki-chan." The boy persisted.  
"Hey, back off! You're being a creep!" Chie exclaimed, energy suddenly returning to her voice.  
The boy stood his ground and outstretched a hand to Yukiko, "Come on, let's go."  
"Watch the hands, buckaroo." Michael snapped.  
The confrontation began drawing the passerby students' attention and they began to weigh in on the scene.  
"...is that guy anyway?"  
"He going after the Amagi Challenge?"  
"Loser."  
The voices went on.  
The boy's face slowly began hardening into a severe scowl, "So are you coming or not?" He snapped venomously.  
"I'm not going!" Yukiko said shakily.  
The boy's face was red with rage and Michael instinctively flanked the boy and stared down at him, his passive scowl becoming more pronounced. Michael stood a full 6'5" and when his arms were crossed, the biceps he formed from unloading trucks back in the States were pressed tightly against the sleeves of his uniform.  
"Don't do something you'll regret," Michael growled, his deep, low voice humming from his throat.  
"Fine! Stupid bitch!" The boy snapped and ran off back down the hill. Michael turned back to Yukiko and Chie.  
"Shall I give chase?" he asked.  
Before they could answer, Yosuke and Narukami approached them.  
"Yo, we saw the tail end of that whole ordeal. Another poor lovelorn fool failed the Amagi Challenge, huh?" Yosuke said.  
"What did he want from me?" Yukiko asked quietly.  
"What do you mean? He was asking you out on a date!" Chie said.  
"He was? Are you sure?"  
"You mean you really couldn't tell? Sheesh..."  
"Not that I don't find this conversation thoroughly stimulating, but my shoes are really getting soaked." Michael said.  
With that, the group walked into the school and settled down into the homeroom class. The conversation's subject matter continued, however.  
"Yeah, you shot me down the same way last year," Yosuke chimed in, "Not in front of the whole school though, thank goodness."  
Yukiko looked at him, "I did?"  
"Oh, you mean you don't remember?" Yosuke asked excitedly.  
"No, I really don't."  
"In that case, wanna hang out some time?"  
Yukiko stared at him blankly, "I'd prefer not to."  
Yosuke winced, "That would be because I suck."  
Yosuke quickly regained his composure, "That's okay though, I've got my eye on someone else anyway," he said triumphantly.  
"You mean Saki-senpai." Narukami said.  
"That's right, but I don't know man, ever since yesterday she's been blowing off every text I send her."  
"Speaking of yesterday, what did Yukiko and I miss?" Michael asked.  
Before they could answer, they heard sirens in the distance once again.  
"Oh geez..." Yosuke whimpered.  
"Another incident?" Narukami wondered out loud.  
The intercom burst to life, "Attention students! Please report to the school auditorium for a brief and mandatory assembly. I repeat..."  
"Hell's blazes," Michael sighed.  
The class began their march to the school auditorium. The group of friends had stuck together up until Michael noticed Yukiko stepped off to the side of the procession and was staring at her phone.  
"Everything okay?" Michael asked.  
"Looks like my father is going to need help after all, there's an issue at the inn."  
"Don't tell me another guest was killed."  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, but the fact that Ms. Yamano was staying at our inn has got out to the media. The front door is being swarmed by reporters and they just keep coming."  
"I'll go with you," Michael said.  
"Michael-kun, really I-" But then she stopped and nodded, "I think that this time I could really use the help," she finished with a sigh.  
"That's all I needed to hear."  
The pair returned to their classroom and fetched their belongings. They checked themselves out at the front office and hurried back to the inn.

Just as they were warned, they could see the swarm of reporters crowding the front of the inn. The biomass of business casual was daunting and grew even more so as Yukiko and Michael drew nearer.  
"How are we going to get through there?" Yukiko asked nervously.  
Michael took a deep breath, "Just grab the tail of my uniform and don't let go," he said.  
Yukiko did as she was told just as all the reporters noticed their approach.  
"Ms. Amagi what are your thoughts on-"  
"Is it true that-"  
"-mother fell ill when-"  
"-acting manager in high sch-"  
Michael bared his teeth and pushed through them.  
"Back away, this is private property!" he snarled, turning his head every few steps to make sure Yukiko was still holding on.  
"By thunder, clear the way!"  
They two finally made it to the door and slammed it shut behind them. They were breathing heavily as Mr. Amagi rushed to greet them.  
"My goodness, are you two okay?" he asked.  
Michael nodded, "I can see why you need help."  
Mr. Amagi turned to Yukiko, "Was bringing him out of school really necessary?"  
Yukiko looked up at her father and stammered for an excuse before Michael cut her off.  
"I insisted I come along. There's been another incident, possibly like Ms. Yamano's. It isn't wise for anyone to be out alone right now. Besides, " Michael threw a thumb over his shoulder at the front door, "did you really want her to face that alone?"  
Mr. Amagi's face hardened under Michael's impertinent outburst, but it softened again after a few moments.  
"I'm sorry, I am glad you're here, but things have been very stressful lately." Mr. Amagi said.  
Mr. Amagi looked to Yukiko, "Yuki, I'm afraid I must leave you in charge once more. Your mother is supposed to be getting rest, but now all this..."  
"It's okay father, go to mother. I...We will be fine." Yukiko said and bowed dutifully.  
They watched as Mr. Amagi returned to the private rooms and once he disappeared from view, Michael turned to Yukiko.  
"What are my orders?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko looked up at him, "Orders?"  
"Yeah, you're the boss again."  
"Oh, of course. Let's see..." Yukiko's voice was shaky and Michael thought for a moment her voice may have betrayed her panic.  
"I can keep the media at bay while you focus on the inn, if you so desire." Michael offered.  
Yukiko gave a sigh of relief, "Good idea. Thank you. Just be careful out there."  
"I always am." Michael replied as he went to his room to change.  
He took off his high school uniform and replaced it with his casual clothes: a button-up khaki shirt over a white t-shirt, blue jeans, work boots, and a brown belt adorned with a mother-of-pearl buckle depicting a Native American in warrior's garb and a late 1800's-style U.S. Army soldier aiming at each other with lever-action rifles. He set down his umbrella and chose instead to wear his black deerskin coat to guard him from the elements.  
 _In case things get nasty, the extra hand will be important,_ he thought to himself.  
He hurried down the stairs and stepped outside. The moment he even cracked the door, the audible torrent of questions quickly drowned out the rain. Michael could not discern the questions and in a fit of rage he simply roared the first phrase that came to mind.  
"Shut up!" He roared.  
The din quieted down at the harsh, throaty declaration. Michael quickly took advantage of the silence.  
"I need you all to step off from the inn's property line and move out to the public right-of-way." Michael commanded.  
"Sir if we can just get some questions answered-" One reporter began.  
"I'm not here to answer questions, I'm here to ensure that our staff and patrons are able to pass without incident."  
"But surely you can appreciate the need for the citizens of Inaba to know as much as possible about the recent events?" Another reporter asked.  
"The only thing I would appreciate now is if you did as I asked. The police have their hands full at the moment and I would not like to have the displeasure of calling them out here for crowd control."  
"Are you a representative of the Amagi Inn and the Amagi family themselves?"  
"I need you all to move back and clear the footpath." Michael said, ignoring the question.  
"Is it true that-"  
"Step back." Michael snapped again.  
"I didn't catch your name, sir." The reporter asked in a frustrated tone.  
"I didn't throw it." Michael hissed.  
Variations of these exchanges went on until sunset when the press slowly began to disperse, leaving only a token gathering behind. Yukiko peeked out of the inn door and found Michael's sedentary form standing just a few feet away, his back to the door.  
"Michael-kun, is it clear?" Yukiko asked quietly.  
Michael turned his head slightly, "Just a few are still hanging around."  
"You should come in, you're gonna catch a cold."  
Michael hesitated for a moment before nodding and going back through the door. Yukiko gasped. He was soaked from head to toe.  
"You're all wet!" She exclaimed.  
"Yeah," he replied simply, hooking his thumbs behind his belt buckle, water dripping from every linen overhang.  
"Here, let me help you." Yukiko said and placed her hands on Michael's shoulders. Michael jumped.  
"Oh, I didn't mean to startle you." Yukiko said quickly.  
Michael cleared his throat, "No, no it's fine." He slowly shrugged the coat off into Yukiko's hands.  
"If I could get a towel to dab myself off here a bit, I'll head straight to the bath and switch into some dry clothes."  
Yukiko beckoned over a waitress, "Please bring Michael-kun a towel and take this coat to be dried, please."  
The waitress took the coat and hurried off.  
"I didn't mean for you to have to go those lengths," Yukiko sighed.  
Michael shrugged, "It was a pleasure, I hate newspapers."  
The waitress returned with a towel which Michael accepted with a smile, "Thank you, sorry I had to put you out."  
The waitress smiled in turn and bowed, "It was no trouble, Michael-kun."  
Michael began padding himself down until the dripping stopped.  
"I'm gonna go warm up a bit in the bath. If the crowd gets antsy again, don't hesitate to send for me, okay?" Michael said.  
Yukiko nodded, "Okay, enjoy yourself."

With everything that had been going on, Michael had yet to enjoy the pride and joy of the town's pride and joy: The Amagi Inn's hot springs. He had been in hot tubs before, but something about ground water naturally heated by volcanic processes just scratched an itch that artificial hot tubs never could.  
 _I gotta be mindful, get too relaxed and I could fall asleep in here,_ he cautioned himself.  
He closed his eyes and let his limbs drift in the natural current of the swaying waters until a voice snapped him back into reality.  
"Michael-kun?" He heard Yukiko say.  
He sat up with a start and looked around wildly.  
 _No way is she in this bath with me, no way in Hell,_ he thought to himself in the panic.  
"Yes?" he said with a crack in his voice, "where are you?"  
"I'm on the girls' side," came the response.  
Michael relaxed a bit, "I didn't hear anyone treading water," he called out.  
"I'm not here to bathe, I just wanted to deliver some news."  
"The reporters causing trouble again?"  
"No," she called out, but her voice trailed off.  
"Then what?"  
There was a pause.  
"Yukiko?" Michael called out.  
"There's been another body, we went to school with the victim." Yukiko called back, Michael could tell there was a shake in her voice.  
"What was their name?"  
"It was Saki Konishi."

With that, Michael heard Yukiko leave and close the door behind .


	5. April 15th

April 15th

Michael woke up to a rapid pounding on his room door.  
 _Why does everything have to happen in the morning ,_ he thought to himself as he threw his feet over the side of the mattress.  
"Coming!" he shouted. He went to stand up and several sharp pains sprang from his feet and ran up his legs. He cried in pain and fell backward onto the bed again. He looked down in bewilderment at his feet. He examined them and noticed that on the bottoms of his feet, small red bumps had risen on the soles of his heel and at the base of his big toe.  
 _Shit, not this again,_ he reflected on a time back in middle school where his feet had gotten so wet and cold that these blisters rose and warned of a precursor to frostbite. He tried once more to stand up and shakily hobbled over to the door.  
"I still need to get dressed, is this urgent?" He called out.  
"Michael-kun, please! It's Yuki-chan!" A voice, who Michael recognized as one of the waitresses, cried out.  
"What? What happened to her?" Michael shouted back and scrambled to throw on his pants and shirt, the pain on his feet suddenly vanishing.  
"Those horrid reporters ambushed her and aren't letting her get away!" The waitress called back.  
Michael flung open the door and he fancied that by the look on the waitress' face that he must have looked quite intimidating. The bags under his eyes bubbled forth as he scowled and he curled his hands into white-knuckled fists at his sides as he stomped down the stairs, waitress in tow. He made it to the front door and flung it open, catching what was to be the last of the interview.  
"...I mean, wow! A beauty like you and only in high school! I bet you get a lot of male visitors just hoping to get a glimpse of you in that kimono!" The reporter rambled on.  
"N-No I don't, what does that-" Yukiko stammered to reply but spun around in response at the silhouette of Michael standing in the door way.  
The talking stopped as Michael surveyed the crowd of reporters before opening his mouth so slightly that it was still almost completely invisible from underneath his beard.  
"Come on inside," He grunted, casting a glance down at Yukiko.  
Yukiko looked at him with relief in her eyes and hurried in.  
"W-Wait!" the interviewer took a few steps forward before running face first into Michael's chest.  
"You've got five seconds to get off this property." Michael growled.  
The interviewer shrank back, "This was all a perfectly legitimate piece of journalism!" He said defensively.  
"Four seconds." Michael exhaled more than said.  
The interviewer's cameraman tapped him on the shoulder and motioned to their van.  
"Three." Michael's eye began to twitch and his right hand began to tap against the side of his leg.  
At this, the two men retreated to their van.  
Michael cast one last glare over the assembled press standing in the rain. Finally, he shook his head and walked back into the inn.  
He found Yukiko getting a makeshift grooming by the waitress.  
"How could they be saying such things to you, and on television no less?" The waitress said angrily.  
"It's okay..." Yukiko said quietly.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't make it down here in time," Michael said, looking down and shaking his head, "I had one job."  
"It's okay, Michael-kun. It wasn't so bad, I just wasn't ready for it, that's all." Yukiko said with a half-hearted smile.  
"Doesn't matter," he snapped to himself, "I'm gonna go and get dressed, I'll resume my post outside shortly."  
As he walked, he began to limp more and more pronounced, pain taking adrenaline's place. He winced and held the banister and the foot of the stairs for a moment.  
"Michael-kun, are you hurt?" Yukiko asked with concern.  
"Nope." Michael replied and slowly began half-walking and half-wobbling up the stairs.  
"Michael-kun please, if you need to take a day off-" Yukiko called up after him before gasping.  
"Michael, your feet!"  
Michael looked down and saw that the blisters on his feet had popped and blood had begun to be visible through his sock.  
"Blast," he hissed.

The waitress snipped the gauze off from the rest of the roll and secured the dressing together.  
"There, that should stop the bleeding." She said, packing up the first aid kit.  
"Thank you, we gotta quit meeting like this," Michael said with a wry smile.  
"You must take better care of yourself, Michael-kun." The waitress scolded.  
"Noted."  
The waitress walked out past Yukiko who had stood watching the whole thing.  
"How did this even happen?" She asked.  
Michael shrugged, "Maybe my shoes are too small," he lied.  
Yukiko walked over and squatted beside him, "You're behind on your schoolwork on my account, you lose sleep on my account, and now you've shed blood on my account. All within the first week of knowing me."  
"Some folks would consider that a compliment," Michael replied with a chuckle.  
Yukiko was not amused.  
"I don't need...I don't want you doing all this for me," She sighed.  
Michael seemed to stare right through the wall and smile at an unseen third-party.  
"Don't you find it just a little odd that I was sent here just when you needed skills like mine the most?" Michael asked, turning his head to her.  
Yukiko's eyes widened and she looked away, "Well I suppose..."  
"Pardon the cliché, but the powers that be in this world work in mysterious ways. Not to take advantage of the bounties they furnish us would be a blasphemy."  
Yukiko sighed, "It has been nice having you around, and I would like to keep it that way. With you all in one piece."  
Michael smiled, "Work keeps me on the right side of the grass, despite all evidence threatening the contrary."  
Yukiko rose to her feet, "I need to get back..."  
Michael waved her away, "Yes you do, take it easy."  
Yukiko bowed and left the room, leaving Michael to himself. He stood up and began testing the sturdiness of his feet. He walked back and forth across the length of the room and found himself looking out the window. What he saw made his blood boil. Across the street stood the boy who approached Yukiko the day before. He was standing with an umbrella and his eyes were fixed upon the inn.  
Without a word, Michael threw on his coat and began stuffing his feet into his boots. He stepped into the hall, entered the maintenance closet, and pulled out a pipe wrench. He hurried down the stairs and flew out the door. The reporters had for the most part cleared out as the rain began to come down heavily, meaning there was a direct line of sight between Michael and Yukiko's stalker.  
"Who goes there?!" Michael barked over the rain.  
The boy froze in place and a look of fear began to overtake his features.  
"Come here!" Michael snarled and began to pick up his pace.  
The boy turned and tried to run, but he found unsure footing in the rain-soaked footpath. Just as Michael was a few meters away from him, he finally found the balance to flee properly and sprinted down the street. Michael watched him run, breathing heavily.  
 _What kind of psycho town have I been exiled to,_ he thought to himself.

Later that night, Michael flicked on the TV once more after homework was completed. The featured story was the interview with Yukiko. Disgusted, Michael went to change the channel, but stopped when the commentators began to chime in.  
"I agree, she is a lovely girl," One of them said.  
"Yes, but just who is the man who was there with her?" The other asked.  
 _Shit,_ Michael thought.  
"From what I could tell, he seemed to be an American. I can't recall him ever being mentioned as part of the inn's staff."  
"Indeed, he definitely would have stood out long ago. Perhaps he is hired security?"  
"He reminded me of one of those cowboys from the western movies I used to watch as a kid."  
"A sheriff, more like!"  
Michael rubbed his face, "Of all the goddamn..." he grumbled to himself before pressing the power button on the remote.  
His phone bleeped. He picked it up and saw he had received a text from Narukami.

 **Narukami: Sheriff, huh?  
Michael: ...  
Narukami: :P  
Michael: Quite.  
Narukami: Hey, look on the bright side. You're famous after just a week in Japan.  
Michael: I never thought I'd say I found something worse than American media.  
Narukami: Careful, you're going native, Commodore Perry.  
Michael: Yeah, yeah, laugh it up.  
Narukami: Well, I gotta go. Don't let this stuff get to you man.  
Michael: Copy that, take care.**

Michael turned off his phone. Just he as went to get up, the TV came to life.  
 _Didn't I just turn that off,_ he thought in alarm.  
The image was obfuscated by static and Michael could barely make out the figures depicted. He walked up closer and studied it closely. From what he could tell, the silhouette depicted a young girl with long hair wearing a kimono. Beside her, stood a barely visible male silhouette standing protectively next to her.  
 _That girl..._ Michael stared for a moment longer before the image finally disappeared and the TV went dead again.  
"I could've sworn that was Yukiko, but who was... " Michael thought out loud. He fiddled with the power button and changed the channels around, but the TV seemed to be functioning normally.  
 _Must be a short circuit in there somewhere,_ he thought, _TV turns on and off by itself then changes to a channel that has poor reception and playing a rerun of Yukiko's interview. That's it.  
_ Satisfied with his reasoning, Michael settled down into his much sought-after slumber.


	6. April 16th

APRIL 16TH

Michael and Yukiko missed school once again. With the breaking news of the killings in Inaba, the inn had begun hemorrhaging its usual clientele composed of quiet vacationers. Despite this, maintenance of the property was still a pressing concern and with Mr. Amagi dutifully doting on his ailing wife, this task fell to Michael. He stepped outside to tend to his grounds-keeping, but stopped as his foot found a sickening crunch. He looked down and noticed that where the reporters from the past few days had been standing, a mass of litter had remained.  
 _Hypocritical pricks. Probably the same reporters who will be the first to jump on a muckraker story about a factory's carbon footprint, too,_ he thought bitterly to himself as he stooped down to pick up the assortment of wrappers, napkins, cigarette butts, and more. A waitress opened the door and looked down at Michael.  
"I'm sorry, Michael-kun. But I think a friend of yours is on the phone." She said.  
Michael slowly rose and nodded, "Alright, be there in a sec." Michael deposited the rubbish in a trashcan and stepped inside to the front desk.  
"Thank you for calling the Amagi Inn and Hot Springs this is Michael speaking how m-" He was cut off by a shrill cry by Chie on the other end.  
"Michael! Where's Yukiko?!"  
Michael flinched and held the phone away from his ear, "Chie? What's going on?"  
"Is Yukiko there?!" Chie asked, more exasperated.  
"Yes, she is. Would you like to speak with her?"  
"Yes please, please can I?" Chie pleaded.  
Michael pressed the hold button and caught Yukiko as she walked out of the dining room.  
"Chie's on the line for you, sounds important." He said.  
Yukiko walked over and picked up the phone and Michael leaned on the counter across from her.  
"Hello Chi-...Yes I'm fine...No, I haven't had the time to check, it's been busy lately...Okay, bye." Yukiko hung up.  
"So, what was that about?" Michael asked.  
"She was concerned about me because I haven't been picking up my phone." Yukiko replied.  
"The panic I heard in her voice was more than just 'concern'."  
"It is strange, she knows I can't get to my cell phone while I'm working, " Yukiko seemed to find the whole thing strange as well, "but, that's just Chie. She's always so protective of me, I'm glad to have a friend like that." Yukiko finished with a smile.  
"I'm sure."  
Yukiko began to return to the dining room before turning quickly to Michael, "Oh, I almost forgot! We're going to be receiving a delivery today, do you think you could...?"  
Michael nodded, "I'll sign for it, count it, and throw it."  
Yukiko smiled, "Thank you, Michael-kun."  
With that, she disappeared into the dining room. Michael returned to his room to fetch his gloves and back brace.  
"Michael-kun!" He heard from the floor below.  
And then he went blank.


	7. April 18th

April 18th

 _Darkness  
Endless  
Despair  
Feel no more_

These words rang through his mind as Michael groaned and rubbed his head.  
 _The Hell am I?  
_ His vision was blurry as he slowly scanned his surroundings. A few blinks later, he was able to discern stone brick walls surrounding him. In addition, he realized the blur was not just from his eyes, but the entire area was engulfed in a very thick fog. He slowly pushed himself up to a kneeling position. His perception became clearer and he was able to discern massive glass windows and lush, red tapestries hanging from the ceiling and adorning the walls.  
"This ain't the inn..." Michael said aloud.  
Suddenly, he heard footsteps. Michael scrambled to his feet and stood facing the other end of the foggy hallway he found himself in. The steps grew louder and closer.  
"Hello?" Michael called out.  
There was no response.  
Michael could feel his heart speed up.  
 _Fight or flight, we meet again.  
_ After what felt like an eternity, the source of the footsteps came into view. Before Michael, stood a tall, Caucasian man with a dark blonde goatee and spiked back blonde hair. In other words, Michael was looking at himself, with one distinction: The man opposite him was dressed in a soldier's uniform.  
Michael licked his lips, "Who are you?"  
"Why...I'm you." The man replied in a voice similar to Michael's but distinctly distorted.  
"Now you listen-" Michael began, but was interrupted as the echoing creek of doors being opened blared from behind him. He turned and couldn't believe what he saw. Narukami, Yosuke, Chie, and what looked like some kind of a teddy bear sprinted into the room flanked by floating figures in various garbs.  
"Michael!" Narukami yelled in surprise.  
"Get away from him, you're in danger!" Yosuke shouted.  
"Yikes, two of them again!" The teddy bear squealed.  
Michael's doppelganger erupted into a malicious laugh, "Yes, that's right. You hear them, Michael? There's danger! Go on, try to protect everyone from the danger!"  
Michael spun around to face him, "The Hell you on about, and I will ask you again: who are you?"  
His doppelganger laughed again, "I told you, I'm you. I'm your Shadow, the true inner self!"  
"True self?" Michael asked.  
"What, did you seriously expect everyone to believe the tough guy act? The simple, conservative, old soul who champions common decency? You're just a big ball of anger that tried to legitimize outlets for his rage!" Shadow Michael ranted.  
Michael narrowed his eyes.  
"Face it, you love the praise you get from the Amagis. You do these token gestures for them in hopes that maybe you'll be thought of as 'irreplaceable', but you know full well the inn has functioned for decades without you, and will do just fine after you're gone! Everyone is replaceable, and you are nothing special!" Shadow Michael smirked, his venomous words almost seemed to drip from his lips.  
"'Oh, I don't need the sleep, it's fine!', 'No, my injuries aren't a big deal, I'll get right back to work!' Sound familiar, Michael? That's all you, trying your damnedest to be something special, but you're not. No one thinks so. Especially not you!"  
Michael visibly began to soften his stance under the vicious verbal assault.  
"Don't listen to him!" Chie shouted.  
Michael slowly turned his head so they could barely see the corner of his eye.  
"Why are you all here?" He asked.  
"We saw Yukiko on the Midnight Channel, she's been kidnapped, Michael." Narukami answered.  
"That's why we're all in here, we came to rescue her. No matter what!" She said emotionally.  
 _The Midnight Channel? Was that staticy image I saw a few nights ago an actual channel?_ Michael thought to himself. He nodded slowly and turned back to face his Shadow.  
"Hear that, Michael? She's in trouble, and you couldn't stop it! You see now? Even with you around, everyone you care for will get hurt. You can't save Yukiko, just like how you couldn't save anyone back home! You're a useless disappointment, as usual!" Shadow Michael sneered.  
"Michael, don't let him get to you, or he'll attack!" Yosuke shouted.  
"You're right," Michael spoke up. His Shadow took a step back.  
"What did you say?"  
Michael straightened his posture, "You're right about all of it. I need to feel like what I do actually matters. And even though I work my damnedest for the Amagis, my real reasons are entirely selfish. I want them to need me. Even Yukiko, I need her most of all."  
Michael slowly began to advance, "If you really are me, you know this. You feel it too, don't you? That's why you're here, she's in this castle and you came too."  
Shadow Michael's face began to soften.  
"Now, we clearly have a lot of beef to settle, and I give you my word that if you want to press this, we'll sort it out one on one. But right now we've got a job to do, so either step aside or join me and maybe we can actually make a difference for once in our life."  
Michael extended his hand.  
The Shadow stared him in the eye and finally nodded, accepting his hand.  
Suddenly, the Shadow was engulfed in blue light, and with a flash emerged as a silhouette of a soldier, sporting a dirty blue uniform, a sword in its sheath and his decorated uniform adorned with Civil War-era pistols. In the place of his head, was instead a massive tank turret. The thing looked down on Michael before vanishing. In its place, a card bearing the Hierophant, the High Priest arcana, appeared and slowly descended into Michael's hands.  
"What is this?" Michael asked, staring at the card twirling in his hands.  
"it's your Persona." Narukami answered.  
"My...Persona?" Michael looked up and really took notice of the figures floating above the other kids.  
"They help us fight off Shadows, like the one you just saw," Chie explained.  
"Although we all had to fight our Shadows before they turned into Personas, how did you avoid that, Michael?" Yosuke asked.  
"The same way all conflict needs to be resolved, internal or external: by finding common ground."  
"Finding Yukiko." Chie affirmed.  
Michael turned to her, but could not look her in the eye. He simply nodded slowly. He went to take a step, but found that his leg gave out from under him. He fell with a gasp, propping himself up on his balled fist.  
"He's bear-y tired, we need to get him out of here!" Teddie exclaimed.  
"No way in Hell." Michael hissed through his teeth.  
It finally occurred to Michael what he was talking to. He stood up once more and looked down on the teddy bear.  
"What...are you?" Michael asked.  
"I'm Teddie!" Teddie said cheerfully.  
"Ah, that settles it then." Michael shrugged.  
"Dude, you mean a talking teddy bear doesn't rattle you?" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
"I just confronted a personification of my inner self and found out that Yukiko was kidnapped which you all were forewarned about by a TV show that somehow comes on when the TV is turned off. A walking talking teddy bear isn't far removed from my current reality."  
"A fair point." Yosuke conceded.  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry you all had to see that. I hope you know that I-"  
Chie smacked him on the back, "It's okay, dude! We understand."  
Narukami smiled, "Yeah, we all have a part of ourselves we don't want the world to see."  
Michael nodded, "Thanks. Now, shall we move on?"  
"It's dangerous enough at full strength, you could get eaten alive in here when you're not feeling your best." Narukami said.  
"Persona!" Michael snapped his fingers in the air in front of his face and the man-tank from before emerged from thin air.  
 _General Sherman,_ Michael thought to himself, amused.  
The General brandished his massive sword and pistol and stood ready, floating just above Michael's head.  
"Do I look like I'm not feeling my best to you?" Michael asked.  
The four opposite him looked each other and gathered round to huddle up.  
"He looks ready to go to me," Chie said.  
"Well sure because he's still on that adrenaline high, what happens when that goes away?" Yosuke rebutted.  
"He didn't have to fight his Shadow, maybe he's still got the energy?" Narukami added.  
"I think we should give him a chance," Chie said confidently.  
"I agree, but we need to keep an eye on him," Narukami affirmed.  
"Are you sure about this? We already have Chie here, is another loose cannon really what we need?" Yosuke winced.  
"Hey who are you calling loose?!" Chie snapped.  
"What does loose mean, Yosuke?" Teddie asked innocently.  
"Shut it, you!" Chie hissed.  
Michael looked on as the conversation became more and more vibrant.  
"Hey, hey hey hey!" he called out, clapping his hands.  
The three turned to him, startled.  
"I can hear everything you're saying, you know. Look," Michael approached them.  
"I know you guys are worried about me going full-tilt or being caught off guard by some injury. From a pragmatic point of view, I understand and accept that. That being said, as long as you guys promise not to bench me before we find Yukiko, I'll follow your lead to the letter."  
"Well, what do you say, partner?" Yosuke said, looking to Narukami.  
Narukami paused for a moment before nodding, "Alright, you got a deal."  
Michael's shoulders slumped in relief, "Thank you, Narukami."  
Teddie waddled up to him, "Then you're gonna need these!"  
Teddie produced a pair of gold wireframe glasses with amber-tinted lenses and handed them to Michael.  
Michael accepted it and put it on. In an instant, it was as though the obfuscating fog did not even exist.  
"Whoa, this is some tech. Makes an ambush far less likely." Michael thought out loud.  
As if on cue, various black apparitions began melting out from the walls of the castle, in various and horrible shapes and sizes.  
"Shadows!" Teddie exclaimed and began to cower.  
"Just stay close to us," Narukami commanded to Michael.  
"I take it you're the man in charge," Michael called back forming up with the group.  
"Unanimously appointed," Yosuke interjected with a smile.  
"Izanagi!" Narukami shouted and his Persona sprang into action.  
"Let's go, Jiraiya!" Yosuke commanded.  
"Protect me, Tomoe!" Chie called out.  
"Stars and stripes, Sherman!" Michael followed suit.

The group carved a path through the Shadows. Michael's Persona charged in with equal mastery of gun and sword. The squad busted through a steady resistance put up by the resident Shadows. Chie's Persona was caught off guard and Chie winced as a Shadow's attack connected. Narukami's persona, Izanagi, came to her aid.  
"I assume you're new to this too, eh?" Michael said to her as his Persona, General Sherman, blew away another pursuer.  
"Don't tell me it's that obvious," Chie responded as her Persona, Tomoe, kicked a Shadow into the void.  
Finally the group came to a massive ornate door.  
"I smell someone, she's beary close! Right bear-hind this door!" Teddie said excitedly.  
Without hesitation, Michael and Chie forced the doors open to reveal a cavernous throne room. At the base of the stairs on her hands and knees was Yukiko still wearing her work kimono. Upon the throne at the peak of the stairs, sat another Yukiko dressed very differently. A pink, off-the-shoulder gown replaced her usual pink kimono and upon her head sat a golden tiara.  
"Yukiko!" Chie and Michael cried.  
"Chie! Michael-kun!" The Yukiko at the foot of the stairs cried in response.  
The Yukiko upon the top of the stair rose from her throne and giggled.  
"Oh, my, my, my, four princes? Oh, whatever will I do." She cooed.  
"I'm feeling some serious tension in the air here," Yosuke said nervously.  
"Princes?" Michael said, looking at Yu from the corner of his eye.  
"We'll explain later." Narukami said.  
"Say, I wanna go somewhere! Somewhere far away where nobody knows me. Please, Prince Charming, take me away! What are you waiting for?" The Shadow Yukiko said.  
"Four princes, does that include me?" Chie asked uncertainly.  
Teddie sprang to life behind them, "I think it's bear-y obvious I'm the fourth prince!"  
"Dream on, bear." Yosuke said flatly.  
"Yes, Chie, you are so obviously my prince. You are so strong and brave and always lead the way, you make an excellent prince. Or, perhaps you DID."  
Chie looked taken aback, "I...did?"  
"The thing is, I'm through with you now!" Shadow Yukiko shrieked.  
Chie began to advance as a rumbling and clamoring of chains erupted from the ceiling. The group looked up and watched as a massive chandelier broke loose from its fastenings and plummeted toward Chie.  
Narukami reached out to her, "Ara Mitama!" he shouted.  
In a flash, Narukami's Persona, Izanagi, changed shape into a small, red comma-shaped entity that sported a hideously angry expression.  
"Aw what?! No fair, you get multiple Personas?!" Yosuke whined.  
The Persona intercepted the falling chandelier and held it in mid-air before reflecting it across the room. Narukami fell to his knees, weakened by the expenditure of his Persona's energy.  
"Hey, are you okay?" Chie cried.  
"Chie failed me," Shadow Yukiko continued as the chandelier began to rise back into place.  
"She can't take me away, she can't save me!"  
"No, stop this!" The real Yukiko shouted.  
The chandelier swung at them once again, this time being caught by Yosuke's Persona, Jiraiya, who was slammed into the wall. Yosuke crumpled over, holding his gut.  
"You gotta recall him!" Narukami commanded.  
"I can't, he's too far away!" Yosuke replied.  
"Izanagi!" Narukami extended a hand toward Ara Mitama and it changed back into its previous form.  
"Michael give me a hand!" Narukami said.  
"General!" Michael shouted.  
Izanagi and Sherman flew to Jiraiya's aid and began trying to pry the chandelier off him.  
"Oh no..." Yukiko lamented.  
"Ancient tradition? Inn keeper training? I am absolutely sick of being stuck there!" Shadow Yukiko shrieked, "but now I know I finally have a prince who can take me away!"  
The Shadow looked to Michael.  
"Damn it all!" Chie cried. Her persona card, The Chariot, appeared before her and with a sweeping kick, her Persona, Tomoe, came forth. Before Tomoe could even take a step, the carpet below them came to life and immediately bound Chie, Tomoe, and the cowering Teddie in place.  
"I'm tired of having every bit of my life planned out for me until I die. I don't want it, I don't want it!" Shadow Yukiko reiterated.  
"Chie!" Narukami shouted as he and Yosuke tried to run to their friend's aid.  
"I don't want it!" The Shadow shrieked again as the candles of the chandelier burst to life with flame. The hot wax shot from the candles at Yosuke and Narukami's feet, sealing them in place.  
"But you understand that, don't you, Michael?" The Shadow said, turning to Michael once more.  
"You asked me what I wanted to do with my life, like I actually had a choice. You gave me that option."  
Michael slowly shook his head, "No, I didn't."  
The Shadow's softening features began to harden again, "Yes you did, you came to save me, you said so yourself. It was destiny!"  
Michael tipped his head and quickly ran his tongue over his upper lip, "It was my destiny to help you, but I can't save you from something like this." Michael said.  
Yosuke and Narukami struggled to get free, "What is this crap?" Yosuke shouted angrily, hitting the hard wax with his bare hands.  
"Dammit, at this rate..." Narukami grimaced.  
"I want to go away and be anywhere but here! I want you to whisk me away, Michael. Only you can!" The Shadow continued.  
"Stop, please stop it." Yukiko pleaded.  
"I can't save you. Only you can do that." Michael affirmed.  
"No I can't! I lack hope, I lack the courage to leave this place. That's why I've been waiting for you, Michael. To take me away, away from all this!"  
"I'm begging you, stop, please!" Yukiko whimpered, tears began to run down her cheeks.  
"I know these are your inner thoughts, but they aren't true. In the week I've known you, I can see you have the strength to move mountains. Hell, you could mount movements." Michael said, this time addressing the real Yukiko.  
Yukiko looked at him in shock, but the Shadow's features hardened.  
"You mean the 'strength' to run an inn? Pride of the town? Screw all that!" The Shadow sneered.  
"How dare you?!" Yukiko turned on her Shadow, the fear in her face being replaced with anger.  
"This thing here," Michael continued, pointing at the Shadow, "It may be what you're thinking, but it ain't you."  
Yukiko slowly rose to her feet.  
"Yukiko, no!" Chie cried.  
"Michael, Yukiko, wait!" Narukami shouted.  
"He's right, you're not me!" Yukiko shouted at her Shadow.  
The Shadow began to giggle.  
"Oh my, the power surges, at this rate..." The Shadow's giggle turned into a full cackling laugh as an orb of dark energy surrounded her and ascended to the ceiling. With a crash, a massive bird cage mounted on the top of a chandelier struck the floor and its sole inhabitant was a massive red bird with a full head of long black hair and a golden tiara. The Shadow Yukiko's voice came from the bird now.  
"I am a Shadow, the true inner self!" The bird cried, looking down at Yukiko.  
Yukiko slowly began to back away as a small bird cage laying on the floor behind her began to rise.  
"General!" Michael shouted. Sherman stopped helping break Jiraiya loose and instead dove to intercept the projectile, but was blasted back by a burst of fire. Michael fell to the ground, his clothes smoldering.  
"Ah, ah, ah!" The Shadow crowed as the small cage opened up and encapsulated a screaming Yukiko.  
"Yukiko!" Chie called out.  
"Chie!" Yukiko called back as the cage ascended into the air.  
"Let me go!" Chie growled as Tomoe cut herself free of the carpet and freed her mistress as well.  
With a final heave, Izanagi and Jiraiya broke themselves free and in turn freed their masters.  
"We're coming, Yukiko! Anything she dishes out, I can take twice as more!" Chie shouted confidently.  
"Oh, really? Then I'll have to hit you, "The Shadow began flapping her wings, "with everything I've got!"  
The gust of wind generated by the flapping wings gave birth to a massive conflagration that engulfed Chie and Tomoe, burning the feet of Yosuke as well  
"Gah, that burns! Take it easy on the fire, dammit!" Yosuke cried as Teddie ran by with his stubby tail ignited.  
"Yosuke, Michael, let's go!" Narukami shouted.  
"Get her, Jiraiya!" Yosuke commanded.  
Jiraiya pointed a finger at Shadow Yukiko and a green burst of wind erupted from the ground. Shadow Yukiko giggled and retreated into her cage, the attack doing no effect. Izanagi flew up and struck the closed cage as hard as he could with his sword before being blown back by a burst of flame.  
"No way!" Narukami growled.  
"No kidding!" Yosuke confirmed.  
Sherman fired a volley from his turret, but the shells deflected harmlessly off the cage.  
 _Just keep up the pressure. Keep her eyes on you._ Michael thought as he quickly moved toward the cage containing the real Yukiko.  
"Yukiko, I'm on my way!" Chie shouted as she ran toward the cage as well.  
"No, don't draw her attention over here," Michael growled.  
As if on cue, Shadow Yukiko swung her cage and struck Tomoe hard, sending Tomoe and Chie flying back.  
"Chie!" Yukiko cried.  
"Too bad, I thought Chie would save me," Shadow Yukiko said with mock disappointment, "but she couldn't save me, she wasn't my prince at all!"  
Michael had almost made it to Yukiko's cage before the Shadow turned on him. With a stomp of her foot, Shadow Yukiko sent Michael tumbling backwards, rolling to a stop a few feet away from Chie.  
"You! I've been waiting for you, for someone who can take me away, and now you would betray me?!" The candles around her cage began to roar to life, "I've been waiting so very, very LONG!" The flames that came forth shot at Michael and Chie with incredible force.  
 _Curses,_ Michael thought to himself.  
"Pyro Jack!" A voice shouted.  
Michael turned his head and saw that Izanagi changed forms once more into a small flying, purple-robed Jack-o-lantern carrying an oil lantern in its hand. The flames that once threatened to end the lives of Chie Satonaka and Michael King, were now being absorbed harmlessly into the Persona's lantern.  
"Maybe you're right," Narukami shouted, "maybe Michael and Chie aren't your princes, but does it really matter?"  
"What?" The Shadow cried, taken aback.  
"They came all this way to save Yukiko, they almost died getting here, don't you think that's enough?!"  
"Narukami..." Chie said quietly.  
Michael slowly got to his feet and Sherman took position next to him.  
"I think..." The Shadow began, "I think I've heard enough!"  
The conflagration roared to life once more, and Pyro Jack was unable to keep up with the fire.  
"We can't get near her!" Yosuke cried.  
"Yukiko," Chie said under her breath.  
"I have a feeling you've got something to say to her," Michael said, reaching down to Chie.  
Chie looked up at him.  
"I'll get you there to say it," he finished.  
A soft smile slowly crept over Chie's face as she accepted his hand and got to her feet.  
"Let's move, I'll cover you." Michael said calmly.  
Chie nodded and began to advance toward Yukiko's cage.  
"Chie, just get out of here," Yukiko sobbed as they began their march.  
Michael backed up to Chie as she walked, Sherman and Tomoe intercepting and deflecting the stray tendrils of flame.  
"Yukiko, we're not going to leave you. Listen, I have to tell you something, and it's very important." Chie said calmly.  
A stream of fire almost struck Chie before being stopped short by Sherman. Michael bit the inside of his cheek in response to the pain.  
"The truth is, I've always been jealous of you," Chie confessed.  
"You had everything Yukiko, and I had nothing. That's why I loved how you depended on me, that you actually needed something that I had. I liked believing that I needed to be there to protect you, it gave me a purpose."  
"That's right," the Shadow interjected with a shriek, "I'm helpless!"  
"That's not true!" Chie continued, "You are one of the strongest people that I know. You wanna leave? Do it! You can break free of that cage on your own!"  
"You're wrong, Chie. I can't, I'm too weak." Yukiko said, tears streaming down her face.  
"I am weak, and pathetic, I'm such a coward, waiting on someone else to come set me free."  
"So what? You were scared and," Chie began to cough. The smoke from the fire was only growing thicker, and Chie would have fallen if Michael had not quickly caught her and threw her arm over his shoulder.  
"Chie, keep your head low and-" Michael gagged and began to falter as well.  
"I had some things deep inside me too, some horrible thoughts that I'm not proud of, but those don't matter," Chie wheezed and slowly got back to her feet, "I'll always be there for you, because you're my friend!" Chie extended a hand toward the cage.  
"Chie..." Yukiko choked back a sob.  
"She's right, you've got the strength to keep friends who rely on you, Yukiko, to inspire heroism within themselves. If you can inspire others, you can inspire yourself!" Michael called out.  
"Stop it! I said, stop it!" Shadow Yukiko shrieked as the flame grew even more intense with each word.  
"Sherman!" Michael shouted.  
The General threw himself over Michael and Chie as Michael grinded his teeth from the burning.  
Yukiko slowly got to her feet.  
"What was I so afraid of before? He's right, I have everything I need." Yukiko placed her hands on the bars of the cage and pulled them asunder. The bars shattered and Yukiko fell forward out of the cage.  
"Yukiko!" Chie reached out and grabbed her as she fell, pulling each other into their arms.  
"Thank you," Yukiko said, "both of you."  
Michael turned his head slightly to look at her from the corner of his eye and Yukiko could see even through his soot-covered face that he was smiling.  
Shadow Yukiko began screaming in agony, flapping her wings and kicking in all-encompassing anger, and yet the fire seemed to be dying away.  
"The Shadow is weak now!" Teddie announced.  
"You know what that means, partner!" Yosuke said.  
"Right," Narukami pointed at the flailing Shadow, "Pyro Jack!"  
Pyro Jack began sucking up all the flames in its path as it charged Shadow Yukiko. Shadow Yukiko was kicking and spraying fire at her pursuer in a panic, abandoning the previous safety of her cage.  
"Get away from me, you nuisance!"  
"She's distracted! Yosuke, Michael, now!" Narukami commanded.  
"Let's do this, Jiraiya!" Yosuke shouted.  
"Sherman, affix bayonets!"  
Yosuke and Sherman flew above Shadow Yukiko and struck her with all their force, sending her plummeting towards the ground.  
"Finish her off, Chie!" Narukami yelled.  
"Beat it!" Chie shouted as Tomoe delivered a destructive kick, hitting the Shadow center mass. The Shadow screamed in agony, its body igniting before striking the ceiling and disintegrating into a cloud of ash and red feathers. A shimmering version of the dress-clad Shadow Yukiko materialized in front of them. Chie and Yukiko stood side by side, watching the red feathers slowly descend.  
"I'm so sorry, Yukiko. I was so caught up in my own thing that I never noticed what was bothering you, and I should have. I'm supposed to be your best friend, and I didn't see this at all."  
"I'm sorry too, Chie. I didn't notice the things that were bothering you either, I just wanted to escape." Yukiko confessed and turned her head towards Michael, "and deep down I selfishly thought to use you to that end."  
"Bah," Michael smirked with a dismissive wave.  
"That's why I created you," Yukiko said walking up to her Shadow and taking her hands in her own.  
"I'm sorry I didn't acknowledge your voice before. You're right, I did want to escape Inaba. It's true, it's how I felt deep inside." Yukiko stepped forward and embraced her Shadow.  
"You are a part of me." She confessed.  
A smile appeared on the Shadows face and the two were bathed in blue light. The Shadow vanished and above Yukiko a female figure appeared, draped in red with black leggings, a white dress, and a bird-like helmet. In each hand, the figure held the ends of a large, red feathered shawl that glimmered brilliantly in the light.  
"It's beautiful..." Michael said under his breath in awe.  
"So I guess that's Yukiko's Persona," Yosuke said.  
The figure vanished and in its place a card depicting the Priestess arcana appeared and descended into Yukiko's hands. Yukiko stood for a moment before she began to falter and collapsed. Chie and Michael dove for her and caught her before she fell.  
"Are you alright?" Narukami asked, concerned.  
Yukiko nodded, "Yes, just a little tired."  
Yukiko slowly got to her feet, supporting herself with the crux of Michael's arm.  
"So you all came to save me?" She asked, looking around at them.  
"Of course!" Chie replied affirmatively.  
"Though we kinda got a two-for-one." Yosuke said, throwing a thumb at Michael.  
Yukiko looked up at Michael and tilted her head, "You were trapped here too?"  
Michael nodded, "Aye."  
"So you faced your true feelings too..."  
"Those that needed facing."  
"So who was the grizzly that dumped you two here in the first place?" Teddie asked, patting out the last of the embers on his fur.  
Yukiko looked down at him in awe, "What...Who are you? What are you?" She asked.  
Teddie smiled and held up his hand, "I am beary much a bear!"  
"I'm sorry, I'm not following," Yukiko said.  
Yosuke put his hands on his hips, " See that, bear? Everything you do just causes more confusion, so just zip it will ya?" Yosuke snapped.  
"Grrr, your oppression is un-BEAR-able!"  
"We can sort this out later, for now we have to exfiltrate the hot zone. This place likely still has Shadows and we've got wounded." Michael said.  
"Exactly, I wanna find out who threw them in here too, but let's get out of here first." Chie agreed, "Yukiko isn't looking so good and I can smell Michael's burnt skin from here."  
"You guys are right, let's go." Narukami nodded and the teens turned to leave.  
'Wait, whaaaaat?!" Teddie protested, "You guys are just gonna abandon me?!"  
Yosuke turned to face the bear, "Abandon you? How is that even possible, don't you live here?"  
"Okay, you have a point, I just..." Teddie began as Michael approached and looked down at him.  
"I owe you my life, buckaroo, and I won't leave you until I can repay that," Michael knelt, outstretching a hand.  
Teddie smiled and accepted it, "It was nothing," Teddie said with a smile.  
"I'm sorry," Yukiko said, walking towards them, "I'll come back later and give you a proper thank you. Be a good boy until then, okay?" Yukiko said, petting Teddie on the head.  
Teddie flushed, "Beary nice! Yukiko is so beary nice!" He squealed happily, "For that I'm gonna give you a special present!"  
Teddie produced a new pair of glasses. Michael immediately noticed something was strange about them, but before he could say anything, Yukiko had put them on. The lenses sported a swirly design and attached to the bottom was a large fake, red nose and a thin black mustache.  
"Oh, I see. These are glasses like the ones you all are wearing." Yukiko said, "They even have a nose guard!"  
"Oh, yeah, they look great," Chie groaned.  
"Those things aren't gonna protect you, these Shadows are dangerous!" Yosuke said, shaking his head.  
"How do I look?" Yukiko asked.  
"Uh, great?" Narukami said nervously.  
"Wanna trade?" Michael asked in response.  
"I made those glasses all by myself, I'm a very dexterous bear! See how smooth my fingers move?" Teddie said, turning to Yosuke and moving his fingers around.  
"The Hell am I even looking at?" Yosuke snapped, pushing Teddie away.  
Yukiko turned to Michael, "Here Michael-kun, try them!"  
Michael took off his glasses and replaced them with the gag ones.  
Yukiko giggled, "Oh my," Yukiko's giggle grew louder.  
Michael cleared this throat, "Hold the newsreader's nose squarely, waiter, or the friendly milk will countermand my trousers!" Michael recited this line as though it were Shakespeare, complete with an exaggerated yet entirely believable British accent. At this, Yukiko burst into a fit of laughter that, up until a few seconds ago, Michael, Narukami, and Yosuke would never have expected from the reserved girl.  
"Oh, oh my sides, give them to Chie, give them to Chie!" Yukiko pleaded in between breaths.  
Michael handed the glasses to Chie, "You heard her."  
"What? Ugh, fine," Chie groaned and put the glasses on.  
Michael began to snicker and Yukiko's laughter was renewed with increased vigor.  
"Oh Chie, it's perfect!" Yukiko cried, gasping for breath.  
"How did it come to this?" Chie sighed. "There goes one of Yukiko's laughing fits."  
Michael was smiling wider than he could ever recall.  
"It's contagious, I love it," Michael said, trying to suppress his ear-to-eat smirk, but failing miserably.  
"Here I thought she only did this thing in front of me," Chie said which only seemed to fuel Yukiko's howling laugh, "Sheesh, settle down, Yukiko."  
Tears streamed down Yukiko's face from the laughter and Michael found her leaning on him as she caught her breath. His smile disappeared and he uncomfortably cleared his throat, "Let's, uh, let's get going then." He said, his voice cracking slightly.  
As they began to leave, Narukami placed a hand on his shoulder.  
"You did good," Narukami said in his soft voice.  
Michael nodded, "Thanks, skipper."

With a thud, the teens landed on the floor of the Junes electronics department.  
Michael and Yukiko got up and looked around, "Where are we?" Yukiko asked.  
"The electronics department at Junes, this is where we can go into that world." Chie explained.  
"The Hell you on about?" Michael asked.  
Without a word, Narukami stuck his hand through the largest TV directly behind them. Like water, his hand sunk in and a ripple effect spread out from the point of impact.  
"Well, that settles that," Michael said, satisfied.  
"I better take these two home, I bet the Amagis are worried sick," Chie said.  
"How long have we been gone?" Michael asked.  
"About two days, give or take a few hours," Narukami answered.  
"Has a police report been filed?"  
"Well the police know you two are missing."  
Michael scowled, "And I am a prime suspect."  
Narukami, Yosuke, and Chie all looked at each other in shock, "W-Well-" Chie began, but Michael waved her off.  
"The way I see it, there are likely two working theories. One, the police are going to see my arrival in town coinciding with the murders almost perfectly and now my latest attempt is the daughter of my guardians. Or two, they will believe Yukiko and I both had something to do with the murders and have fled together." Michael explained, "How am I doing so far?"  
They all bowed their heads and Yukiko looked up at him in shock, "What? Do you really think they'd believe that?"  
Michael sighed, "From a third-person point of view, I would be thinking along those lines as well."  
"Adachi-san did say that-" Yosuke began, but was cut off by a sharp kick to the shin from Chie.  
"Don't worry about it, you two! Everything will be fine! Come on, let's go." Chie said cheerily, beckoning them to follow her.  
Yukiko looked up at Michael, "What should we tell them?" She asked softly.  
"We blacked out and were found in Junes."  
"Will they believe us?'  
"They have no evidence to the contrary."  
Yukiko looked down sullenly, latching onto his arm for support. Michael found himself nervous as well. His limbs began to feel feeble as the last of the adrenaline rush began to leave his body. Instinctively, he found himself singing an old lullaby under his breath.  
"Ten little angels, all dressed in white. Tried to get to heaven on the end of a kite. The kite had broke and then they all fell, instead of going to Heaven they all went to- Nine little angels all dressed in white..." Michael hummed on and he felt Yukiko's tight, nervous grip on his arm begin to relax.

They arrived back at the Amagi Inn as they sun was setting, where Yukiko's parents and a few of the inn's staff were standing at the door, Chie having called ahead. As they approached, Mrs. Amagi could not contain herself any longer and rushed forward to embrace her daughter. Michael and Chie stood away, Michael leaning against a tree.  
"Oh Yuki-chan, we've missed you so much!" Mrs. Amagi said with tears in her eyes, and had been joined by Mr. Amagi and the other employees.  
"Mother, please," Yukiko groaned, but her face lit up with a smile at the reception.  
"Where have you been?" Mr. Amagi asked.  
Mrs. Amagi looked over at Chie, "Thank you so much, Chie-chan for bringing her back!"  
Chie rubbed the back of her head nervously, "Shucks," she said simply.  
Then, Mrs. Amagi noticed Michael standing the in the shadow of the tree, looking on.  
"Michael-san," She snapped tersely.  
Michael's chest hurt when he noticed she dropped the '-kun' honorific from his name.  
"My respects, Mrs. Amagi," he replied simply.  
Mr. Amagi noticed him as well and approached him, "You've got some explaining to do," he said with a severe expression on his face.  
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, _I knew it,_ he lamented and was almost relieved when a police car pulled up. Out from the car stepped Dojima and Adachi who approached the group.  
"Dojima-san, thank you for coming," Mrs. Amagi said.  
"Of course," Dojima said and then turned to Yukiko, "We're glad you're back safe and sound, but I was hoping you could answer a few questions regarding your unexplained absence."  
Yukiko looked down and nodded, "I'll do my best," she said quietly.  
"The boy is back too," Mr. Amagi said, pointing a finger aggressively at Michael.  
Dojima nodded and turned to Adachi, "You take him."  
"M-Me? Oh, gosh, okay." Adachi said and hurried over to Michael, pulling out his handcuffs. He went to take Michael's arm, but Chie threw herself in front of him.  
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" She shouted.  
Adachi recoiled, "I need to take the suspect in for questioning," he stammered.  
"Suspect? Michael didn't do anything wrong! And what's with the cuffs, look at him, he's exhausted!" Chie said.  
"Chie-chan...?" Mrs. Amagi said, looking bewildered.  
Dojima thought for a moment before nodding, "It's okay, Adachi. We don't need the cuffs. We'll question him here. Just take him to his room and sit with him while I take the girls' statements."  
Michael inadvertently breathed a relieved sigh, "Thank you, Chie."  
Chie nodded.  
Dojima gave the pair a hard look, "Miss Satonaka, please remain here with the family. I have a few questions for you as well," he said as he led Yukiko into the inn.  
"Fine by me," Chie said and went to the huddled Amagi family and staff.  
Michael looked over to Adachi, "Shall I lead you to my room then?" he asked wearily.  
Adachi started, "Oh, yeah huh? Er, I mean, ahem, please do so."

Michael sat on his bed, resting his forehead on his clasped-together hands. Adachi stood at the door, his arms crossed. The only sound was the occasional opening and closing of doors and the ticking of the clock.  
"So, how long has it been since your transfer?" Michael asked.  
Adachi gave a start, "Whoa, how did you know I was transferred here?" He gasped.  
Michael waved dismissively, "If you had grown up here, you would be more familiar with the people, like Dojima is with the Amagis. That cordial knowledge of one another is impossible to escape in a town like this, had you grown up here."  
Adachi rubbed the back of his neck, "Wow, impressive. Ever consider being a detective? Ya know, if you aren't arrested for kidnapping that is..."  
Michael's eyes narrowed and Adachi jumped.  
"Whoops, not like that would happen or anything, I just-" Adachi tugged at his collar, "Just forget I said anything, please." He sighed.  
Finally, Dojima came in through the door. He pulled up a chair and set it next to where Michael was sitting on the bed, facing him. He sat down and stared at Michael who returned his stare looked directly into his eyes. Dojima opened up his pocket notebook and flipped through it.  
"Okay, Michael-san. Thank you for waiting so patiently." He began.  
Michael shrugged and Dojima continued.  
"You and Yukiko went missing for almost two days without a single mention of your departure to anyone. Why is that?" Dojima asked.  
"I don't recall ever getting a chance to tell someone," Michael replied.  
"And what do you mean by that?"  
"I mean that I can't recall how I went from standing right about where Adachi-san is standing now, to waking up in a department store almost two days later."  
Dojima tapped the tip of his pencil on his leg, "Okay then, let's go through what happened right before you 'woke up' in Junes. Talk me through those hours."  
Michael looked up at the ceiling, "As far as I can recall, it was a fairly normal day. It was busy at the inn, Mr. and Mrs. Amagi were otherwise indisposed and Yukiko needed help so I called out from school and tended to my usual duties."  
"If I can interrupt you for a moment, what are your 'duties' around the inn, exactly?" Dojima said quickly.  
"Odd jobs, mostly. Maintenance, grounds keeping, receiving shipments, and most recently, security."  
Dojima scribbled in his notebook, "Okay, go on."  
"Well one of the last events I remember is that Yukiko had stopped me and told me she was expecting a delivery truck any moment, and asked me to report to receiving to check in everything. I came up here to get my freight gloves and back brace," Michael thought hard for a moment, "and then someone called my name."  
Dojima's eyes narrowed, "Who called your name?"  
Michael shook his head, "All I can recall was that it was feminine, after that I'm drawing a blank."  
"Do your deliveries follow a tight schedule?"  
"Some do, but just as many come on an as needed basis."  
"So this delivery was not an unusual occurrence?"  
"Can't say that it was, no."  
Dojima stared at the wall directly behind Michael and scowled, clearly thinking over things in his head.  
"Are you and Yukiko close?" Dojima asked after a long pause.  
"As close as employer and employee can be," Michael replied.  
"But that isn't how your relationship started, with the Amagis as your guardians, you two are practically step siblings."  
"Temporarily, yes. But this is a big inn, Dojima-san, and we don't exactly share close quarters."  
"That's strange, because Yukiko speaks highly of you. Says you went out of your way to help her, make her feel safe," Dojima pressed.  
Michael sighed, "Look, I admire her work ethic, her dutiful dedication to family. She's an incredible person, and I am proud to consider her a friend. So, I do what I can to support her, simply by principle."  
"Oh, so now you're friends? Just a few moments ago you said it was a strictly business connection."  
"Because a man in my station espousing his closeness, no matter how innocent, to a woman of her station is improper," Michael snapped, "especially when she is the daughter of my guardians."  
Dojima leaned back, "Closeness? Close enough to run away together?"  
"I believe I told you, we did not run away together. In fact, if her experience was anything like mine, I suspect we were drugged."  
Dojima's eyes widened, "You're saying you were kidnapped?"  
"It's possible, this news of Ms. Yamano's death has drawn all kinds of wack-jobs crawling out of the woodwork. I've had to chase off a couple personally."  
"Can you describe these 'wack-jobs'?"  
"No, none of them have come by more than once so I paid no mind."  
Dojima rubbed his temples.  
"Okay, I have one more topic to broach with you: do you believe that Yukiko is capable of-"  
"No." Michael said quickly, "Yukiko had fuck-all proper to do with this, you can be sure of that as surely as night follows day." He said with strong conviction.  
Dojima stared at him for a moment longer before rising to his feet.  
"I have to admit, I could've sworn I had you nailed to the wall. An American boy from the big city meets a doe-eyed Japanese country girl and convinces her to run off with him. However, from what I've heard from Chie-san and Yukiko-san, I would be more inclined to believe that your roles would be reversed. Which, ironically, is even more outlandish and hardly a viable conclusion."  
He extended a hand, "I'm sorry for giving you a hard time, it's part of my job, I'm sure you understand."  
Michael rose as well, "I can't accept your apology, because I would never expect a man to apologize for doing his job," he said with a smile and accepted Dojima's hand.  
"And thank you for keeping me company, Adachi. You're got all the bedside manner of a colony of fire ants," Michael said with a wry smile.  
Adachi rubbed the back of his neck and laughed nervously.  
Dojima turned on his subordinate with a severe expression, "What did you tell him?"  
"N-Nothing at all, heh, right, Michael-san?" Adachi said, looking at Michael with a pleading look.  
"Right."  
Dojima stared daggers at Adachi a moment longer before turning back to Michael with a softer expression.  
"And don't worry, I'll be writing a memo to your school regarding you and Yukiko's absence, you'll get the chance for some R&R if you need it." Dojima said warmly.  
"The gesture is appreciated, good evening."  
The pair of lawmen left and Michael went to lay down, but there was a light tapping at his door that gave him pause.  
"Michael-kun?"  
Michael turned and saw Mr. and Mrs. Amagi standing at the door. They were looking down.  
Michael gulped, "Ah, my respects, listen I-" Before he could finish, Mrs. Amagi had wrapped her arms around him.  
He did not return her embrace.  
"I am so sorry, I thought such horrible things of you, I had no idea," She sobbed. Mr. Amagi walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
"Come now dear, let him be," Mr. Amagi said soothingly.  
Mrs. Amagi released Michael and wiped a tear away from her cheek.  
"We thought you might have had something to do with Yukiko's disappearance. We knew you two were getting close and when you disappeared together, we thought you had taken our daughter from us." Mr. Amagi explained, though Michael could note there was a hint of shame in his voice.  
"What changed your mind?" Michael asked quietly.  
"Yuki told us you had nothing to do with it, that you had suffered the same unknown circumstances she did. She pleaded with Dojima-san to let you be, and with me not to knock your teeth out." Mr. Amagi said, the last part of his dialogue was accompanied by a wry smirk.  
"But most of all," Mrs. Amagi began, "it was Chie-chan. She said that despite you facing the same adversities as Yuki, you set your own wellbeing aside to see to it that she was afforded every possible assistance. I knew then that you had nothing to do with it, Chie-chan would never let a bad person near our Yukiko."  
Michael wanted to be angry, but he could not be.  
 _If I were a father, I'd have the same damn thing,_ he confessed to himself.  
"I just wish I could have prevented this whole thing from happening in the first place," Michael finally replied.  
"That doesn't matter, you're both back home, safe and sound. Just leave it at that." Mrs. Amagi said, although Michael felt she was trying to convince herself that was fact.  
"How is Yukiko doing by the way?" Michael asked.  
"She's tired, but I'm sure you are as well. I believe she's gone down to the garden." Mrs. Amagi said.  
Michael nodded, "That's good, that's good. Fresh air does wonders for the health. Which reminds me, is the open air bath open to men right now?"  
"Yes, it is." Mr. Amagi said.  
"Good. As it has been two days since I last bathed, I think I am overdue for a dip. Thank you for checking up on me, good evening."  
The Amagis bowed and left Michael to his devices.

After his bath, Michael threw on his white undershirt and blue jeans and walked out to the inn's garden. The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon and bathed the with a purple tint and Michael inhaled deeply as the evening breeze blew softly against his face. By the koi pond, sat Yukiko in a pink kimono adorned with a minimalist floral pattern with a matching parasol in her hands. Michael approached her, fireflies scattering away from his path, and she noticed him.  
"Oh, Michael-kun," she said softly and slid over to the opposite side of the bench, "Please, have a seat."  
Michael smiled, "Much obliged."  
They sat for a moment, watching the koi slowly move through the clear waters.  
"I understand that Dojima-san no longer suspects you," Yukiko said.  
"Thanks to you and Chie, that is correct."  
"I should be the one thanking you. Chie told me you wouldn't rest until you found me."  
Michael felt a warmth rush to his face, "I had to do something."  
Michael sobered for a moment and turned to face her, "Yukiko, do you remember anything about how you ended up there?"  
Yukiko looked down at her feet, "No, I don't. Do you?"  
Michael shook his head, "Nope."  
The crickets chirped all around them.  
"So that power that we all have, Persona, right? We get that from defeating our Shadows?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael nodded, "That's what I've been told."  
Yukiko cringed, "I'm still so embarrassed that you all had to see that side of me."  
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. The extravagance of personification blew very common and understandable feelings out of proportion."  
Yukiko looked at him, "Did you really mean what you said before, that I inspired you?"  
Michael cleared his throat and leaned forward, "Yep." he said simply.  
There was a long pause before Yukiko spoke up again, "What was your Shadow like? How did you fight it?"  
"I didn't."  
Yukiko looked at him in surprise, "Then, how did you have a Persona?"  
"I reasoned with him, we found some common ground."  
"And that was?"  
Michael thought for a moment and then gave a wry smile, "We both liked red."  
Yukiko stared at him, but he averted her gaze.  
Suddenly, she got up. The fireflies almost seemed drawn to her and begun to dance around her rosy figure. With a giggle, she did a twirl, spinning her parasol in her hands. Michael watched her in awe of her sudden cheerfulness and out of nowhere, a sense of inner peace settled in his gut. Somewhere in the distance, Michael thought he could hear the faint tune of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." He listened for a moment and, with a chuckle, realized it was all in his head.


	8. April 19th

April 19th

After the persistent and unyielding demands by Mr. and Mrs. Amagi to take it easy, Michael and Yukiko found themselves temporarily relieved of all duties. Michael allowed himself to step outside of his usual character and slept in. His muscles ached and his mind was fuzzy. The burns he suffered in the world behind the TV had healed almost immediately after they had exited it, but they left behind a phantom pain that seemed to drain all of his energy.  
 _Maybe a bit of reading will get my mind off of it,_ he thought.  
He rummaged through his book bag and pulled out a weighty, leather-bound tome entitled Livy's History of Early Rome. He had already read through it almost seven times, but each time something new stuck to his memory. He took the book down to the garden. He looked around, half-hoping to see Yukiko there as she was the evening before, but to his disappointment found the area barren of other human life. He took at a seat at the bench by the koi pond and settled down to the first page.  
"Michael-kun?"  
Michael turned his head and saw Mrs. Amagi was the one who addressed him. He took off his reading glasses and set them down on his book.  
"My respects, Mrs. Amagi." He said with a tired smile, "How are you feeling?"  
Mrs. Amagi looked taken aback, "I'm feeling better."  
Michael nodded and there was a silence between them.  
"Would you, uh, like to join me?" Michael asked at last.  
Mrs. Amagi smiled and shook her head, "No, no, I have a lot of work I need to catch up on. I just came out here to..." She looked off to the side.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "To what?"  
Mrs. Amagi sighed, "Do you know why I fell ill?"  
Michael was surprised by the question, "I asked Yukiko, but she was not inclined to answer and I did not press the subject."  
"You see, the inn had become very busy lately and I was running here, there, and everywhere trying to keep up with everything so Yukiko didn't have to miss school to help out. Well one day, Ms. Yamano, God rest her soul, was put out by something that had happened and called for the manager. When I arrived, she began to yell at me over things that seemed to tiny. She was relentless in her ranting and before I knew it I had passed out under the pressure."  
Mrs. Amagi stopped and took a deep breath before continuing.  
"It was then that you and Yukiko had to step in. With news of Ms. Yamano's death spreading and the media attention really starting to build up around here, I feared that Yuki wouldn't be able to handle it and collapse like I did, or worse. When you two vanished, I blamed myself. I thought that you two felt you needed to run away to escape it all. Part of me wouldn't have blamed you. But then, the police showed up and that detective, Adachi-san, was it? He started throwing around theories about you and Yukiko fleeing because you killed Ms. Yamano in revenge for what she had been saying to me. It was all so distressing until Dojima-san reassured us that the theory was not the official line of investigation. However, he kept asking questions about you, like how close you and Yukiko were and whether you had shown to be partial to violence. It was then that I realized they were thinking you were the prime suspect in all this. To my great shame, I stopped blaming myself and started blaming you."  
Michael listened to this lengthy dialogue, maintain his usual keen eye contact. When he was sure Mrs. Amagi fell silent, he began to speak.  
"Why are you telling me this? I thought we had sorted this out yesterday?" Michael asked.  
"I want your forgiveness. When you and Yuki came back, we greeted her with nothing but warmth and elation. But when you came back, we were cold. What should have been a happy homecoming, we made a walk of shame." Tears began to well in her eyes.  
"There was nothing shameful about it," Michael said, "I would never ask you greet warmly the man who you thought had taken your daughter. Had we returned from our supposed elopement and the household proclaimed 'Well done!' my soul would surely be all the more restless. For what parent who can call themselves a parent, would condone such behavior? And what man, who can call himself a man, would not take a rebuke such as you describe in stride and leave it to circumstances to absolve him? I wish to say, in the strongest possible terms, that I feel more at peace now than I did before I was taken, knowing beyond reasonable doubt that I am in a household where virtue and morality are celebrated and adhered to strictly."  
Mrs. Amagi smiled and straightened her posture, Michael could almost see the weight being lifted from her shoulders.  
"Michael-kun, thank you."  
Michael flashed a smile in response, "Good morning."  
Mrs. Amagi bowed and went back inside the inn. Michael picked up his book once more when his phone's text alert went off. With a sigh, he set the book down and opened the messages:

 **Chie: Hey Mikey-kun! :)  
Michael: Mornin'  
Chie: How are u feelin? yukiko said shes pretty beat still :/  
Michael: Better than some, not as well as others. How about yourself?  
Chie: Tired but im good. im relieved we saved u and yukiko. its like a real load off u kno?  
Michael: I owe you and the others my life, for real.  
Chie: aw go on :P  
Michael: Oh btw  
Michael: I didn't get a chance to thank you yesterday for your testament to my character with Dojima-san, he would've dragged me down to the station for sure.  
Chie: Hey I had 2 do sumthing! That detective was gonna put u in handcuffs, total weaksauce! :O  
Chie: besides, u helpd me get 2 yukikos cage in the tv. u put ur life on the line so i could get all that off my chest. ur a pal :D  
Michael: I just did what any teenager, with the power to manifest his inner self as a mechanized version of a historical figure to combat monsters inside TVs, would do.  
Chie: oh is that all? lol hey get well soon ok? we miss u 2 crazy kids :)  
Michael: Likewise. Hey I gotta go check on some stuff, I'll catch you later ok?  
Chie: sure thing, im gonna come by your place after school to drop off u and yukiko's hw. c u then! ^_^**

With yesterday's events flooding Michael's mind once more, he found reading would no longer be a suitable distraction. He closed up his book and walked back to his room. He had lied to Mrs. Amagi earlier, saying he felt more at ease now than before the kidnapping. In reality, he found himself making sure doors that were supposed to be locked were in fact locked and windows that were supposed to be closed remained closed.  
 _I gotta stop being so paranoid,_ he thought to himself, but then he reconsidered, _Michael, you were KIDNAPPED. You aren't paranoid ENOUGH.  
_ He settled on the latter as fact. In that same train of thought, Yukiko came to mind. He pulled his phone out of his pocket once more and fiddled with it in his hand.  
 _She's probably sleeping, I shouldn't text her. Sure, her phone MIGHT be off, but it's not worth the risk. Just leave her be, you'll see her eventually,_ the internal debate raged on. Finally, he forced the phone back into his pocket. He threw on a blue button-up shirt and tucked it in. He left his room, grabbed a toolbox from the hallway maintenance room, and made his way outside. He squinted as the sun struck his tired eyes. He pulled out his Teddie glasses and put them on, the amber tinted lenses adequately filtering the blinding rays.  
 _First step is determining how this guy got in and how he got us out undetected,_ Michael thought to himself, _The front door is always unlocked, but the lobby sees a lot of foot traffic. If the kidnapper took both Yukiko and I out through here, he had to have been very lucky.  
_ Michael examined the windows of the lobby. They usually remained closed and Michael found no signs of scratch marks or forced entry around the locking mechanism. He continued his examination around the entire perimeter of the building and found nothing that would indicate the kidnapper had forced his way in or out. That's when a more disturbing possibility hit him.  
 _Someone must have let them in and out.  
_ "What are you doing out here?" A voice behind him asked.  
Michael jumped and turned savagely upon the voice, which turned out belonged to Mr. Amagi. Michael's stance relaxed.  
"Amagi-san."  
"What are you doing out here?" Mr. Amagi asked again.  
"Taking a walk, getting fresh air."  
"With a toolbox?"  
"With a toolbox."  
Michael felt Mr. Amagi study him.  
"I take it you still suspect me," Michael said slowly.  
Mr. Amagi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "No, Michael. I do not. That is, I don't suspect you of taking my daughter."  
Michael felt relief begin to well in his stomach.  
"However," Mr. Amagi said, "I do suspect you of not taking care of yourself and resting when you should be."  
"You know what they say about an object at rest."  
"Have you been fiddling with the windows and doors?" Mr. Amagi asked.  
"I have been doing many things," Michael replied evasively.  
Mr. Amagi raised an eyebrow, "I expect a straight answer, young man."  
Michael's shoulders slumped under the rebuke, "Very well, I have been making sure the perimeter is secure and I plan to continue doing so."  
"I understand you are still shaken up, this is natural. But pursuing the matter like this will not allow your wounds to heal."  
"With all due respect, they will not heal until I am satisfied that whoever did this is brought to justice."  
"If you are concerned about your well-being, I can assure you that-"  
"I am not concerned about my well-being."  
Mr. Amagi looked at him in surprise and then said quietly, "Yuki."  
Michael nodded, "I do not wish to alarm you, but I do not feel that I was one of the primary targets in all of this. After the TV special aired regarding the Amagi Inn and Yukiko was interviewed, it is my current theory that Yukiko was the primary target."  
"But, why?"  
Michael continued, "That TV special made your inn go from being a 'hidden treasure' to being at the forefront of national media. Any enterprising individual inclined toward criminality would see capturing the heiress of a successful inn located in a sleepy town such as this for ransom would be a piece of cake."  
Mr. Amagi's face hardened and for a moment Michael thought he could see a flicker of fear across his features.  
"So, you think they wanted our daughter for ransom?"  
"Yes."  
"Then why take you?"  
"I appeared on the same TV special, and when I escorted Yukiko away from the reporters and began crowd control the media took the liberty to identify me as hired security. Therefore, it is likely our assailants thought it best to neutralize me as well."  
"But why actually take you away? Why not leave you behind?"  
Michael shrugged, "They were likely amateurs who didn't really know what to do with two bodies. Probably got caught up in the moment. Who knows, it's simply a working theory at present."  
"And you think they will return?"  
"Them or someone like them, it is possible. Until the media attention in this town dies down, I suspect we will be encountering increasing numbers of undesirables."  
Mr. Amagi considered this for a moment as the two stood in silence. Finally, he broke it.  
"It's hard for a man to admit when he is wrong," Mr. Amagi said slowly.  
"Then don't."  
The silence came again.  
"Did the police find anything in their original examination of the inn?" Michael finally asked.  
"No, nothing unusual."  
"How about security footage?"  
"No, the police and myself both examined the tapes thoroughly. But the coverage is minimal, we don't have many cameras. We never had much need for them here in Inaba."  
"You do now."  
Mr. Amagi nodded solemnly.  
Again, silence settled over them.  
Mr. Amagi reached a hand toward Michael, "Hand me the toolbox."  
Michael hesitated.  
"I'll finish where you started. This is a responsibility I can no longer ignore."  
"WE can no longer ignore."  
Mr. Amagi stared at him, and then across his face, crept a smile.  
"Very well. We shall share this duty, as the men of the household should."  
Michael nodded with a thin grin.  
On the inside however, he felt a knot his stomach.  
 _I lied. I lied so damn hard that I started to believe it myself. I know full well being stuffed into a TV wasn't the work of some amateur kidnappers. There is so much more to this and yet I find myself using the same cheap alarmist tactics the media I despise so much uses to spur action.  
_ Michael found himself sighing audibly.  
 _Maybe one day I can ask his forgiveness for my deceit, but until then, for Yukiko and I's sake, I have to lay it on thick._

Mr. Amagi and Michael had finished their inspection of the grounds just as lunch was being served. Yukiko had come out of her room to join them at the table. Michael noticed that her face held a passive, contented smile throughout the meal, replacing the glum look of introspection that used to occupy her visage. They were just finishing up when the receptionist poked her head into the dining room.  
"Yuki-chan, Michael-kun, Chie-chan is here to see you," She announced.  
Michael and Yukiko excused themselves from the table and went out to meet Chie who was waiting in the lobby.  
"Hey guys!" She said cheerfully.  
"Afternoon," Michael replied.  
"Hello, Chie." Yukiko said in turn.  
"How are you two feeling?" Chie asked with a smile.  
"Still worn out, but I'm feeling my energy returning every hour." Yukiko said softly, "How about you Michael-kun? I just realized I haven't talked to you since last night."  
Michael shrugged, "Like I've been shot at and missed, but shit at and hit."  
"Well, I hope this doesn't hurt your recovery too much, but..." Chie reached into her book bag, "Here's you guys' homework."  
Yukiko and Michael looked at each other and sighed.  
"All three days worth?" Michael asked, bracing himself.  
"Glad I got my sleep in this morning," Yukiko said with a pout.  
Chie's face brightened, "Nope! The principal ordered King Moron not to count the assignments you missed while you guys were MIA. You've only got today's homework to worry about!"  
"Now that's a principal who will get an apple on his desk," Michael said with a smirk.  
Michael and Yukiko thumbed through the packet of papers. Michael noticed something strange and pulled a sheet out from the packet.  
"I think you gave me this by mistake," Michael said, showing a basketball team sign-up sheet to Chie.  
Chie laughed nervously, "Oh, no, I just got you that in case you were interested in signing up."  
Her expression then shifted to that of one that was half determination and half pleading.  
"Please sign up, you'd be so good at it!"  
Michael was taken aback, "I mean, I've played a lot, but I really don't do this extracurricular stuff."  
"But you're so tall! Oh, and strong! You'd be great!" Chie said excitedly.  
Michael studied her suspiciously, "Flattery, eh? Out with it, what's your stake in all this?"  
Chie sighed, "Look, the basketball team is super short on members and if they don't get enough sign-ups, the school is gonna cancel the program altogether. They don't do any serious games or anything, this area doesn't have enough schools for that, but it's still an athletics program!"  
"How very...civic-minded of you?" Michael said, still unconvinced.  
"Athletics are my thing, dude! I'm, uh...above average at tests and math and junk, but things like this is what I shine at. If the basketball team is shut down, then they probably will forget about the girls programs too and then..." her voice trailed off.  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck nervously.  
"Narukami signed up too, so it's not like you won't know anyone there," Chie persisted before clasping her hands together in a dramatic begging gesture, "Pleasepleasepleasepleas-"  
"Stifle that! Okay, I'll sign up." Michael said, defeated.  
Chie jumped into the air, "All right! Go Yasogami High!"  
Yukiko threw her fist in the air and cheered along, "Go go, Yasooooogami! G.O. GO. TO. HELL!"  
 _Some cheer,_ Michael smirked to himself.


	9. April 20th

April 20th

Michael returned to school temporarily in the afternoon to turn in his sign-up sheet for basketball club. He had arrived just as the dismissal bell rang and found himself fighting the current of students trying to put as much distance between themselves and the school as possible. He finally made it to the faculty office and found, to his dismay, that the staff member on duty was Mr. Morooka, King Moron. Just as Michael stepped in, Mr. Morooka was upon him.  
"You little shithead! You've got some nerve coming in here! I heard all about your little disappearing act to get out of doing your school work! That shit may fly over in America, but here we have a little common decency and a sense of responsibility!" Mr. Morooka ranted.  
"It won't happen again. I'm just here to sign up for basketball club."  
This only seemed to anger Mr. Morooka more.  
"Joining a club? You? Wait a minute, you're just joining up to trawl for girls aren't you?! Don't bother denying it! Listen, a school club is supposed to be about..."  
For some reason, Michael found himself getting lectured.  
 _There aren't even any girls in basketball club, it's men only,_ Michael thought to himself, confused.  
"...and that's what being in a club is supposed to be about! I'm gonna mercifully approve your request because you have the grades for it and this may be only chance you'll ever have in life at even minuscule success, but mark my words: if you drop even a fraction of a grade percentage below average, I will yank you off that court myself and march you right back to first year where you belong, do you understand me?!"  
 _Hard not to, you say it loud enough,_ Michael thought, but nodded and took his leave.  
When he arrived at the gym, the basketball team was practicing passing. Including him, it seemed there were about nine members in attendance. Michael stepped onto the court and a boy with short blue-black hair saw him and trotted over.  
"Hey, you must be Michael! Chie told me all about you!" He said happily, looking up at him. "Boy, I know she said you were tall, but it's another thing to actually see it! You're gonna be a real asset!" The boy seemed very enthusiastic.  
"I will do my best to live up to the expectations Chie-chan has so generously cultivated of me, Mister...?"  
"Ichijo, Kou Ichijo! It's a pleasure, man!" Kou said, holding out his hand.  
Michael accepted it, "...Ichijo."  
"You can go ahead and just watch for today, we're only doing a bit of practice."  
Michael took a seat on a bench on the side of the court. Narukami looked over and waved. Michael waved back and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, to watch the proceedings. He could not help but hear the banter occurring between the players. Throughout these exchanges, Narukami and Kou were the only ones actually focusing on their drills.  
"What? No team manager today, huh?" One asked.  
"Yeah, it's a bummer. She's the only reason I bother coming to practice at all." Another replied.  
"She's probably out flirting with a bunch of guys right now. That chick is super easy."  
This solicited a general chuckle from most involved, not including Kou and Narukami.  
Michael began to feel a headache.  
"I hear she's got a sugar daddy!"  
"No doubt!"  
"Dude, with that face, that body, that ass, of course she's gonna have a sugar dad-"  
Kou interrupted them, "Alright, alright, that's enough! Don't be making up a bunch of crap about her, that's not cool!"  
"Nah man, it's true! I heard-" The boy who had responded suddenly jumped and froze.  
Everyone turned to where he was looking and saw a girl standing in the doorway. Michael had not even noticed her arrival. She wore the standard Yasogami High uniform, with white stockings, a pink frilly shirt's collar visible from underneath the uniform's blazer. Her hair was a dyed orange, her lips a pale, glossy pink and white pearl earrings dangled from each ear. She was glaring daggers at the assembly of athletes. She continued her venomous vigil, and Michael could not help but recall the deathly calm that would occur right before a shoot-out in an old Western.  
Finally, without a word, she turned to leave.  
"Hey-" Kou began to go after her.  
She stopped and gave him a venomous glare out of the corner of her eye, which made him think better of it, before walking all the way out.  
"Aw shit, do you think she heard us?" One of the team members asked.  
"She was glaring daggers at you, dude, of course she heard us." Another said with a laugh.  
Michael got up off the bench and walked over to Narukami and Kou.  
"Quite a colorful allotment you've curated here." Michael said dryly.  
Kou winced, "Hey man, I'm super embarrassed about all this. There was no excusing that nasty stuff."  
"Narukami, your thoughts?" Michael said, casting a glance at his grey-haired friend.  
"Sorry, I gotta go take care of something," Suddenly, Narukami trotted out of the gym.  
Kou sighed, "Look, I know this was really an awkward day, but..." He sounded defeated.  
Michael thought for a moment, "While I found the American high school jock culture to be completely abhorrent, I feel there is hope for Yasogami's athletes with someone like you championing their cause."  
A chill ran down Michael's spine as he felt that he just paraphrased something that, somewhere along the timeline of history, Mr. Morooka might have said.  
Kou looked up at him, "I'm flattered, I think?"  
"You stood up to them. Where I come from, you would be belittled and your sexuality questioned should you choose to defend the female who is the butt of locker room conversation. You've got balls."  
Kou laughed, "Thanks man. You're all right."  
Michael turned to face the other players, "Now if these folks can stick the ball in the hoop as flawlessly as they can stick their feet in their mouths, we'd have a damn good team."  
"Don't count on it," A male voice said behind them.  
They turned and saw a tall, lean student walking towards them wearing a Yasogami P.E. jersey and carrying a soccer ball under his arm.  
"These guys couldn't find their asses with a basketball and both hands," the boy extended his hand.  
"Name's Daisuke, soccer team. Heard you're Kou's latest victim."  
Michael accepted it, "In the flesh."  
Kou groaned, "C'mon man, I just barely convinced him to stick around!"  
Daisuke laughed, "Kou and I have known each other for a long time."  
"Yeah, too long. I'm getting sick of seeing your face." Kou teased.  
"Hey I was gonna go grab some food at Aiya, you guys wanna come?" Daisuke offered.  
"Sorry, I gotta stay and polish the balls. Yes sir, I loooooooove them balls." Kou sighed.  
"I'll stick around and help out." Michael offered.  
"Hey, look at this guy, being a team player from the word go! I'll be wishing you guys luck while I'm neck deep in my beef bowl. Laters!" Daisuke laughed and walked out just as Narukami walked back in.  
"Oh hey, just in time to help us clean up!" Kou said.  
Michael noticed the other team members, at the mention of having to do work, quickly vacated the gym leaving Michael, Kou, and Yu to do the work.  
 _Wow, it's like I'm working retail again,_ Michael thought bitterly.

The trio wheeled the equipment into the storage room when Narukami, out of nowhere, asked a very singular question.  
"So Kou, do you like anyone?"  
Kou looked at him, startled, "Do I like anyone?!"  
 _I'm so glad I'm getting to play basketball,_ Michael thought sarcastically.  
"What brought that on?" Kou asked nervously.  
"So, you don't?" Narukami asked.  
"Oh come on dude! Not in front of the new guy!"  
"I know a grand total of two girls here, Kou. My interest in your love life couldn't be any weaker even if I made a conscious effort for it to be so." Michael said matter-of-factly.  
Kou sighed, "Well alright, if you aren't gonna let this one go, Narukami..."  
Kou rubbed the back of his head in silence for a moment.  
"You guys promise you won't tell a soul?"  
"Yeah, promise." Narukami said.  
"Wouldn't know a soul to tell." Michael said dryly.  
Kou was silent for a while and finally took a deep breath.  
"I like Chie, okay?" He finally said.  
Narukami broke into a coughing fit, like he had swallowed water into his lungs.  
 _Wow, what are the odds,_ Michael thought with a smirk.  
Kou's face turned a bright red, "Hey what are you acting like that for?" Kou asked turning on the struggling Narukami.  
"Man, I am so jealous you get to sit next to her every day, Narukami, it blows!"  
 _Incredible, Chie can make situations uncomfortable even at a distance,_ Michael thought to himself.  
Kou threw both his arms around Michael and Narukami's shoulders.  
"Hey now that you guys know, you gotta put in a good word!" He said.  
"Y-Yeah," Narukami managed, his voice still hacking.  
"Hey thanks man! You guys are pals!" Kou said, before waving goodbye and walking out of the equipment room.  
Michael looked at Narukami, "I never had you pegged for the gossipy type."  
Narukami shook his head, "I'm not, I asked for a-"  
The two looked up as they heard a banging from one of the equipment trunks.  
The two boys looked at each other and nodded. Michael grabbed a baseball bat off one of the racks and Narukami walked over to the trunk.  
"On my signal," Narukami said.  
Michael nodded.  
"Now."  
Narukami lifted the trunk lid up and Michael brought the baseball bat to the ready, but stopped.  
The team manager from before was curled up inside, sobbing.  
Narukami shook his head, "Come on, Ai, let's get you out of there," he sighed.  
Michael looked at Narukami, then the girl, then Narukami again.  
"I'm just gonna..." he began, setting the baseball bat down and throwing a thumb over his shoulder at the door.  
"Yeah." Narukami said with a nod.  
Michael turned on his heel and hurried out the door.  
As Michael walked out of the school front door, still reasoning in his mind what he just saw, he heard a shriek from above.  
"I'm gonna kill myself!"  
He ran to the center of the school courtyard and turned back to get a better view. He was absolutely dumbfounded. He saw Narukami trying to pry an erratic Ai off the chain link fence that surrounded the roof of the school which prevented kids from falling to a grisly state three stories below. Michael rushed inside and up the stairs to the roof, he threw open the door and, to his relief, saw Narukami seated next to a somewhat pacified Ai who was no longer clamoring to throw herself off the building. Ai was still crying into her hands and Narukami was patting her back. He looked up and noticed Michael standing at the landing of the stairs. Michael gave him a thumbs up and then a thumbs down followed by a shrug. Narukami replied with a thumbs up and a nod. Michael returned his nod and carefully shut the door behind him and began his descent once more.  
 _Boy, I sure do love playing basketball,_ he thought with even harsher sarcasm than before.

He arrived back the Amagi Inn and found Yukiko walking to the dining room through the lobby.  
"Oh, Michael-kun!," She said cheerfully, "How was your first day of basketball?"  
Michael took off his uniform blazer and hung it on the coat rack, "Stimulating. How are you feeling?"  
"Much better that yesterday. I'm gonna try to start going for little walks and errands around town in a day or so."  
Michael nodded, "That's good. Just don't rush it."  
"And, um," Yukiko began and looked down shyly.  
"Yes?"  
"I was wondering if you'd go with me?" She asked, still not looking up at him.  
"Sure," Michael replied simply.  
"Thank you."  
"Mhm."  
Yukiko smiled and walked off. Michael watched her until she was out of sight before ascending the stairs to his room.


	10. April 21st

April 21st

Today was the day that Yukiko's parents finally felt comfortable enough to let Yukiko go out on her own and even then would likely not have approved it had Yukiko not asked Michael to tag along. Michael waited in the lobby, his thumbs hooked behind his belt buckle.  
"Okay, let's go," Yukiko said, emerging from the door leading to the Amagi private quarters.  
Michael's jaw dropped. He had never seen Yukiko in 'casual' clothing before and upon witnessing her now, he could not help but feel as though he had been cheated out of time. She wore a long, red dress that reached just below the midway point of her thighs. Tied around her neck was a long red kerchief with white tips and on her feet she wore long, black, platform boots that reached all the way up to her knees. Locks of her flowing black hair ran down just off her shoulders, perfectly contrasting with her alabaster skin. Michael shook himself from his trance before she could notice his inadvertent leering and tipped his head.  
"Lead the way," he said to the floor.  
Michael and Yukiko walked around the shopping district, mostly conducting business on behalf of the inn with local suppliers. Yukiko had them stop into a bookstore on the way.  
"Aha! Here it is!" She announced triumphantly, pulling a book from a shelf, "Thank goodness, looks like this is the last copy they have."  
"What is it?" Michael asked.  
"It's a book about job certifications. Sensei, the career councilor at school, recommended it to me because it details on a bunch of different job licenses."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "You're gonna apply for one?"  
She nodded solemnly, "Inside the other world, the 'other me' said she didn't want to inherit the inn..." She took a deep breath, "I think those were my true feelings, so I decided to try to be more true to myself."  
She looked up confidently and stared Michael right in the eye, "I...I refuse to inherit the Amagi Inn! And when I graduate, I'm leaving town!"  
Michael's eyes widened.  
She exhaled deeply, "I said it..."  
Then she started to giggle, "I said it!"  
Michael smiled, "Yes, you did."  
He found himself smiling not at her words, but rather at the smile that uttered them.  
"So that's why you're getting the job license guide, to find a career away from the inn." Michael reasoned.  
Yukiko nodded, "Yes, I'm going to have to learn to make my own living if I want to live on my own. I was thinking something along the lines of interior decorator, maybe? What do you think?"  
"I think you need to do what makes you happy. That being said, you do have a lovely sense of style."  
Yukiko's cheeks reddened, "Well picking clothing is much different than picking decorations for a room," she stopped herself and shook her head which had begun to flush, "I- I'm sorry I assumed you were talking about how I dress. That was so presumptuous. You don't even really pay attention to that stuff, do you?" She rambled on nervously.  
Michael waved his hand dismissively, "I figured it's all the same," he said, trying to keep his cool.  
Michael cleared his throat, "So, what's getting a job license entail, anyway?" He asked, trying to bring the topic back to where it began.  
"Well it's a lot of hard work, and costs money to get one. And of course, I can't tell Mother..." Her voice trailed off.  
Michael nodded, "This is between us, then."  
"Thank you," Yukiko said, relieved. "But I just wish there was a part-time job I could do discreetly..."  
Michael thought for a moment, "Well, I overheard some kids on my way to school a couple days back talking about part-time jobs they were doing from home. Envelope folding, translating...Hey, I could help you with translating!"  
Yukiko's face brightened, "Really?"  
"Yeah, it's Japanese-to-English and vice versa."  
"Why don't we both get that job then? I'm sure you'd like the spending money." Yukiko suggested.  
"Capital idea," Michael replied with a nod.  
"Let's go check out the job notice board now, it's just up the street," Yukiko said, walking quickly.  
Michael happened to glance over on the other side of the street and saw something that made his left eyebrow ascend. Yu Narukami and Ai Ebihara, the basketball team manager who had been threatening to kill herself, dressed in their school uniforms, were walking down the street. That is, a reluctant Narukami was being pulled along by an aggressively enthusiastic Ai.  
 _Aren't they supposed to be in school?_ Michael wondered to himself.  
Yukiko saw them too, "Hey, is that Narukami?"  
"Can't say for sure," Michael lied quickly, "Let's just leave them be."  
 _Damn buckaroo, what have you gotten yourself into?_

As the sun set, Michael and Yukiko walked along the road as the silhouette of the Amagi Inn came closer and closer. Before they reached the door, Yukiko stopped.  
"Thank you for keeping me company today," She said.  
"Right back at you."  
Yukiko shifted nervously and looked down at the tips of her boots.  
"I was scared of telling the others about my plans, but now I..." she looked up at him, "...I think I'll be all right."


	11. April 23rd

April 23rd

At the invitation of Chie and Yosuke, Michael and Yukiko walked to Junes from the inn after school was let out. The four of them met up in the food court of the massive department store. A cacophony of conversations, registers popping, scanners beeping, and radio advertisements filled the air and made Michael dizzy. They always did.  
"Every day's great at your Junes~" The jingle went on over the PA system.  
"So, you wanted to go over the case?" Michael asked, rubbing his eyes sleepily.  
An annoyed looking Chie took a sip from her soda, "Well we WERE, when we thought Narukami would be joining us!"  
"And he isn't?"  
"Nope, he's hanging out with someone else." Chie said bitterly.  
"Oh, is it that Ebihara girl?" Yukiko asked.  
Yosuke and Chie looked up at her in surprise.  
"How did you know?" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
"Michael-kun and I saw them together yesterday, didn't we?" Yukiko asked, looking over at Michael.  
"Uh, I suppose we did, yeah," he replied.  
Yosuke looked surprised and then shot a discreet wink at Michael, who ignored it.  
"What do you think about those two?" Chie asked.  
"About who?" Yosuke replied nervously.  
"Narukami and Ebihara, duh. Who else would I be talking about?"  
"Oh right! Uh, well I think they make a pretty good-looking couple," Yosuke replied, taking a sip from his own soda.  
"Like Hell they do!" Chie snapped, slamming her fist on the table.  
The entire table's eyes were on her.  
Chie began to rant, "They're always playing hooky and climbing all over each other! That's not like Narukami at all!"  
"Climbing all over each other?" Yukiko asked, but with a warning shake of Michael's head, she dropped that line of questioning.  
"Yeah, Ebihara does have some issues," Yosuke conceded.  
 _If only they knew,_ Michael thought to himself with a cringe, recalling her threat to kill herself just a couple days before.  
"I can't believe he would make hooking up with her more important than going over the cases today!" Chie rant finished and she crossed her arms with a pout.  
"I don't think he has much say in the matter," Michael suggested softly.  
"Huh, what do you mean?" Yosuke asked.  
"Call it a gut feeling."  
Yukiko placed her finger on her chin in thought.  
"Well Ebihara-san sure looked happy yesterday. In fact, she was so excited that she had to drag Narukami along just so he could keep up with her," Yukiko said, apparently looking back on the memory with innocent admiration.  
"Something like that," Michael quipped, taking a sip from his water bottle.  
Yosuke leaned back in his chair, "I don't get why you're getting so worked up over this, Chie."  
Suddenly, his expression shifted to show was struck with some internal revelation and he leaned forward.  
"Ohhh, I get it now." He said with a smirk.  
Chie raised an eyebrow, "Huh?"  
"Of course, he's a super cool dude and he can use a bunch of Personas..."  
"So?"  
Yosuke waved his hand dismissively, "It's okay, I gotcha. You may think you're up a creek without a paddle, but I'm gonna bail you out, okay?" He finished with a wink.  
"I am so lost," Chie groaned. _  
There is no way that this train of thought could possibly go wrong at all,_ Michael thought with grim sarcasm.  
Yukiko nudged him, "What is Yosuke-kun talking about?" she whispered in his ear.  
Her breath against his skin made his back tingle, "I'll tell you in the eulogy." Michael replied from the corner of his mouth.  
There was an uncomfortable silence.  
"Sooooo are we gonna discuss the case, or what?" Michael finally asked.  
"We really shouldn't without Narukami here, he's our leader after all," Yosuke said.  
"Well I'm not sure I feel comfortable about letting this lie for too long," Michael insisted.  
"I'm sure he'll snap out of it soon. It's the honeymoon phase, ya know?" Yosuke said dismissively.  
"I don't know about that, guys are pretty dumb about this stuff sometimes." Chie rebutted.  
Yosuke narrowed his eyes, "Hey, why were you looking at me when you said that?!"  
Chie turned on him with a fury, "Gee, I don't know, why was I?!"  
The two began shouting back and forth at each other.  
Michael slapped his face against his palm. Yukiko tapped on his shoulder.  
"Hey, let's go to the grocery section, I wanna buy some things," She said.  
Michael looked over at the increasingly vigorous exchange going on between their two compatriots.  
'"Shouldn't we uh...?" he began, but Yukiko shook her head.  
"It's fine, they'll tire themselves out eventually. They always do."  
Michael shrugged and got up to follow Yukiko, leaving the vicious debate, whose participants seemed oblivious to their departure, behind them.

Michael pushed the shopping cart along with Yukiko at his side who, every now and then, would throw another item into the basket. The pair came to the produce department where Michael leaned on the cart handle as Yukiko browsed.  
"Why does there have to be so many different types of food?" Yukiko groaned.  
 _To give folks a reason to colonize India,_ Michael quipped to himself dryly.  
Yukiko continued her musings, "Even eggs come in so many different varieties."  
"I take it you're in charge of making dinner back home tonight?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko was startled, "Oh my, no! I wouldn't dream of it! My food isn't nearly good enough to serve to guests!"  
"I was more interested in eating it myself, but okay." Michael shrugged.  
"Oh, no, I couldn't-" Yukiko stammered, but her face betrayed her delight at the suggestion.  
"I just need to practice my cooking, you know? Since I've decided to leave town, eating out all the time is bad for you, right?"  
"They say that, but I've yet to experience any discomfort."  
"Well, I need to get all the practice in that I can beforehand!"  
"I have no doubt you will be successful. With a work ethic like that and a professional chef like the inn's to learn from, you can't fail." Michael said with an affirmative nod.  
"I know right? Thank you for saying so!"  
Yukiko paused.  
"Oh and, since you already kinda offered, I was thinking you could taste-test my food sometime. I want someone to eat it and let me know how it is. I figured I would improve quicker that way. Plus, I know you'd give me an honest opinion."  
Yukiko looked up at him earnestly, "So, will you?"  
Michael nodded, "It would be my pleasure."  
"Really?! Thank you!" Yukiko said excitedly.  
Yukiko sobered and took a deep breath, "When I obtained the power of Persona, I thought, 'I can do it...' I used to think I couldn't do anything on my own, but now maybe I can. I mean, I've depended on others, like you and Chie, up until now. From this point on, I want others to depend on me. I'm going to do my best to achieve that!"  
Without his consent, a smile spread across Michael's face and his heart fluttered into his stomach.  
"I'm proud of you," he found himself saying.  
Yukiko looked up at him, surprised. Then she flushed and looked off to the side.  
"Thank you, I needed that," she said quietly.  
There was a pause before Yukiko sobered.  
"Oh! Right, shopping, now then..." Yukiko glanced around, "Where do they sell lobsters?"  
"Lobsters on your first try at cooking? You may find yourself..." Michael whipped out his Teddie glasses and slid them on, "...in a pinch."  
Yukiko stared at him for a moment.  
Then another.  
"Snrk...," she began to snicker and, within seconds, turned into a full-blown laughing fit. Michael found himself chuckling, hiding his now-maroon face in embarrassment of the cacophony he caused as onlookers stared at the pair in concern.  
"Oh...oh no...Oh my...A PINCH! Because they're LOBSTERS!" Yukiko was saying in between gasps for breath.  
After what seemed to Michael like hours, she began to settle down.  
"Ahem, but seriously, where's the lobster?"  
Michael's eyes widened. She was serious.  
 _I may have made a terrible mistake,_ Michael thought to himself.


	12. April 24th

April 24th

Sunday had come which meant that school was out. Michael had just finished getting dressed when his phone rang.  
"This is Michael." He said.  
"Hey Michael, it's Kou!" Came Kou's voice from the speaker.  
"What's up buckaroo?"  
"Hey, if you aren't doing anything today, Narukami, Daisuke, and I were gonna go hang out. You wanna tag along?"  
"Yeah sure, where at?"  
"We were gonna meet up outside Yomenaido Bookstore, southern shopping district. You know the way?"  
Michael recalled it was the same bookstore he and Yukiko had visited a couple days prior.  
"Yeah I know the way."  
"Cool, see you there in about half an hour or so?"  
"Capital, see you then."  
Michael hung up and pulled his blue iPod and headphones out of his nightstand drawer. He spun through the selection until he landed on the song titled "Your Affection", a new piece he had been introduced to since his arrival in Japan.  
 _Nothing like a little happy music to accompany a tiptoe through the proverbial tulips,_ he mused.  
He stepped into the lobby and waved a hand at Mrs. Amagi.  
"Good morning, Mrs. Amagi. I'm going to go meet up with a few friends from the basketball team, want me to get anything while I'm out?"  
Mrs. Amagi smiled and shook her head, "No thank you, Michael-kun. Just be careful out there."  
With that, Michael stepped out into the street.

He arrived outside the bookstore and found Narukami was standing outside already, but no sign of Kou or Daisuke.  
"Morning," Michael said to Narukami.  
"Hey, how are you feeling?"  
"Better every day. I'm kind of embarrassed that the stuff from the..." Michael looked around and leaned in, "...other side would have such a lasting adverse effect."  
Narukami nodded, "Yeah, the glasses will help with that."  
"I never got a chance to properly thank you for coming to save us, and for letting me tag along for the final stretch."  
Narukami smiled, "You were a big help."  
Despite the smile and even tone in his voice, Michael noticed Narukami looked haggard and kept glancing nervously at his phone.  
"Uh, something wrong?" Michael asked.  
"No, I just-" Suddenly, Narukami's phone blared to life and Michael noted the custom ringtone was a familiar piece of classical music that instilled in him a sense of impending doom. Narukami stood frozen in place staring at the phone in his hand as if the name on the screen was the equivalent of Medusa's gaze. Michael glanced at him, then the phone, then him again.  
"You gonna get that?" He asked.  
"Yeah, sure." Narukami said as if in a daze.  
Finally, he picked it up.  
"H-Hello?" He said slowly.  
Even from where he was standing, Michael could hear the feminine shrill, yet inarticulate, yelling on the other end. Narukami, without responding, hung up the call and stuffed his phone back into his pocket, sweat beading on his forehead.  
"Why not just tell her to piss off?" Michael asked simply.  
Narukami's eyes widened as if the suggestion meant certain death, "You don't understand."  
"Look, it's obvious you're going out with that Ebihara girl. If you were happy, I wouldn't judge, but-"  
Narukami cut him off, "No, what I mean is you don't understand how this girl handles rejection. Last time someone rejected her she-"  
"-tried to kill herself, I was there." Michael finished for him.  
Narukami sighed, "Yeah, and now she's threatening to try again if I break up with her."  
Michael shrugged, "Who cares? Just do it."  
Narukami looked at him in shock, "Michael-kun!"  
Michael threw his hands up defensively, "I'm just saying, when folks say they're gonna kill themselves, that's usually a pretty solid indication that they aren't actually planning on doing it."  
"But she actually climbed the fence!"  
"Yeah, when you were within reach to pull her off of it. Even so, you can't save everyone, bud. She's got some serious emotional issues she's working through and she's trying to pawn that shit off on you."  
Narukami's expression hardened, "I have to at least try," he said bitterly.  
 _Maybe I'm pressing him too hard,_ Michael thought, but his mouth was not listening.  
"Look, there's someone going around and killing people here in Inaba, and nine-to-one odds says that they're somehow connected to that world inside the TV and I can't help but feel you've been putting that on the back burner. If Ebihara wants to off herself, fine, let her be a statistic. But we've got people in danger who have every desire to keep on living and yet we're doing jack-shit to stop it."  
Narukami looked hard upon him. His expression was dark and disappointed. To Michael's surprise, almost by reflex, he felt shame.  
"You're starting to sound like your Shadow," Narukami said quietly.  
Michael hung his head and there was silence between them.  
"I didn't mean all that," Michael said finally.  
Narukami nodded, "You've been through a lot. It's normal to be angry."  
Michael looked him in the eye, "I now see why you were so quickly appointed leader."  
Narukami smiled warmly, but the smile vanished as phone went off again.  
"Oh God, how long has it been since I called her?" He asked in a panic.  
"Uh, she called you last and as I recall, you hung up on her," Michael explained.  
Narukami's expression was pure terror, "Oh man that's right! She's really gonna lay into me!"  
He answered the phone and rushed off to put a few meters between him and Michael.  
 _We're doomed,_ Michael nodded to himself.  
"Hey, Michael!"  
Michael turned and saw Kou and Daisuke waving at him. Michael waved back.  
"Sorry we're late, this guy takes forever to do his hair," Kou said, throwing a thumb at Daisuke.  
"And that's why I get all the girls," Daisuke teased, running a hand across his hair.  
Narukami returned to the group, looking incredibly tired.  
"Hey guys," he said weakly.  
"Hey man, you alright?" Kou asked, concerned.  
Narukami simply nodded.  
"Whatever, let's get this show on the road, yeah?" Daisuke said, walking into the bookstore and the rest followed.

They spent some time shopping around before finally meeting up outside the store, their purchases in hand.  
"So, what did you buy, Daisuke?" Kou asked.  
"A comic book. I was feeling kinda nostalgic when I saw it, 'cause I used to love it."  
"How about you, Michael?" Kou asked, turning to him.  
"Japanese History for Dummies," Michael said with a smirk.  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Daisuke cried, looking at the cover of the comic book he bought, "this isn't what I...Dammit, I got the wrong one."  
"What do you mean?" Narukami asked.  
"Instead of 'Rubber-Armed Pitcher Hero', I bought 'Lovely Witch Detective'." Daisuke groaned.  
"How would you even mix those two up?" Michael asked incredulously.  
"They were right next to each other, okay?!" Daisuke said defensively before thrusting the comic at Narukami.  
"Here, you can have it."  
Narukami was taken aback, "Uh, thanks but-" he began to protest, but the comic was already in his hands.  
"Huh, I didn't know you guys were into those kinds of books. You some kind of comic snobs?" Kou joked.  
"I'm pissed man, their covers looked almost exactly alike," Daisuke continued his lamentations.  
"Hey, you three!" A voice called out.  
The group turned and saw Chie dressed in her casual attire. She wore her standard green sweater adorned with many different graphical buttons that she usually wears over her Yasogami 'sailor' style uniform, but this time it was open and revealed a standard light gray top just underneath.  
"Now this is a weird little group. I didn't expect you all to hit it off so quick." Chie said, approaching them.  
Michael and Narukami glanced at each other and then at Kou, who wasted no time in blushing.  
"Ch-Chie-san." Kou stammered, "S-So what are you doing here?"  
 _Kou 'Smooth McGroove' Ichijo,_ Michael quipped to himself as he could see the perspiration on Kou's forehead begin to gleam in the sunlight.  
"Training," She said simply.  
"Uh...training?" Kou asked, confused.  
Daisuke pumped his fist, "You're the man, Chie!"  
" Hell no, you did NOT just say that to a girl!" She cried, soliciting a laugh from Daisuke.  
"Well, this promises to be an entertaining day," Narukami said to Michael.  
"Copy that."


	13. April 26th

April 26th

The basketball team ran through practice drills, a physical exertion that Michael welcomed. His fatigue from his time in the other world began to dissipate faster thanks to the aerobic workout. After practice, Ai and Kou gathered the team for an announcement.  
"Okay guys, listen up! I signed our team up for a practice game against another school," Kou announced.  
A loud groan permeated the air.  
"C'mon! We haven't done this in like, forever, and now we got a couple new members to really fill in the ranks. So let's get out there and kick some ass!" Kou tried encouraging them.  
The team members, not including Michael and Narukami, all glanced at each other uncertainly.  
"And if you don't join in," Daisuke, who had been observing, chimed in, "then I'm gonna out the lot of you who have been cheating on the practice exams."  
Michael raised an eyebrow at Daisuke who gave a mischievous wink.  
 _Coercion skills like that, the Yakuza's loss is the soccer team's gain,_ Michael mused.  
"Sure," The rest of the team finally groaned.  
"Yo, you guys got a second?"  
The athletes turned and saw Yosuke walking in to the gym, Chie in tow.  
"Oh, hey Yosuke," Kou said.  
"What are two doing here?" Narukami asked.  
"Well, I've been talking to Chie here and she wants to become your team manager." Yosuke declared.  
Kou and Chie drew back in shock.  
"What?!" Chie cried.  
Yosuke ignored her, "So what do you think?"  
Kou's face betrayed his delight, "Yeah, that would be great!"  
Chie grabbed Yosuke's shoulder, "Wait, is this why you dragged me here?" She hissed.  
Yosuke covered his mouth and leaned over, "I'm telling you, you gotta level the playing field a bit if you wanna beat that Ebihara girl," he whispered.  
"Dude, what?" Chie asked, startled  
"I get it, life can be hard for a girl in love," Yosuke said with a nudge.  
"I so do not get you, dude" Chie sighed.  
Kou approached them, visibly excited, "Thank so much Chie, that is gonna be a big help, especially with the upcoming game!"  
"Well I mean, I guess I could help out with just one game," Chie said with a smile.  
Michael had been rapidly glancing between Ai and Chie, and to his dismay, saw Ai's visage become more and more severe.  
Chie noticed this too, "Uh, I feel like I'm getting the stink-eye."  
"Whoa, it's a total one-on-one knockout battle for love," Yosuke giggled.  
"What exactly are you trying to do here?" Narukami asked, puzzled.  
"Turn the gym into a crime scene, clearly," Michael said dryly, "You got your uncle Dojima on speed dial?"  
Narukami nodded, "Yeah?"  
"Good to be prepared."

Later in the locker room, Michael, Kou, and Narukami had begun changing from their basketball jerseys back into their casual clothes.  
"Hey, guys, listen," Kou began, "I think after this next game I'm gonna have to quit the team."  
"Huh? What for?" Narukami asked.  
"Yeah, I thought this was your thing?" Michael added.  
"Well, my parents never really did approve of this whole basketball thing. I'm from a big family," Kou rubbed the back of his neck, "a prestigious family, at that. I'm in line to run House Ichijo. After my grandmother steps down, it'll be my dad, and then me."  
"Sounds like one Hell of an inheritance," Michael said.  
"It sucks. I've only really every talked about this with Daisuke, but I figured I could trust the two of you." He turned to face them with a smile.  
He paused and his face went grim again, "This is my last game and I really wanna win it. So, will you guys help me out and give it your all?"  
"Yes, of course." Narukami said with a nod.  
Kou jumped up excitedly and pumped his fists, "Hell yeah! And if we win, I'm gonna tell Chie how I really feel about her!"  
"Huh?!" Narukami's eyes widened in shock.  
 _Maybe I'll throw this game, for his own good,_ Michael winced.

That evening after dinner, Michael and Yukiko met outside in the garden once more.  
"So our first batch of papers to translate came in the mail today," Yukiko said.  
"Oh, good. Then we can start tonight."  
Yukiko sighed, "I just realized, how are we going to work together on it? Mother and Father can't know so we can't just work on it out in the open."  
"Why not in my room? I've got a pretty big table, should fit two people." Michael suggested.  
Yukiko turned quickly and slapped him, he looked at her in shock.  
"What was that for?!" His voice cracked.  
"Oh, I'm sorry! One of the guests had made an off-color joke today so I'm kind of on edge," Yukiko said quickly, placing her hands on his shoulder. "Are you alright?"  
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine," Michael said, eyeing her with primal suspicion, still rubbing his cheek, "Sorry, I forget sometimes that innocent thoughts aren't always perceived as such."  
There was silence for moment.  
"Hey, why not just use the phone?" Michael suggested.  
Yukiko looked up at him, "Like, call each other from our rooms?"  
"Yeah sure. Why not?"  
Yukiko giggled, "It just seems so silly, calling someone who is just on the other side of the building."  
"Well, I would use carrier pigeons but the smell is horrendous," Michael quipped.  
"Snrk..." She began to snicker.  
"Oh God, what is it now?" Michael exaggerated a groan.  
"I'm imagining you sitting in your room trying to translate while COVERED in bird poop and feathers," Yukiko explain in between giggles, "Pigeons landing on your hand and shoulder and... and...!"  
Then, as if saying it out loud clarified the visual in her mind, she burst into full-blown laughter. Finally, they agreed on the usage of their phones and, after retiring to their respective rooms, worked diligently into the night.


	14. April 29th

April 29th

The day of the basketball game arrived at last. The past two days had been raining off and on all day, today had proven to not be any different. With news of the upcoming game, the soccer team, who usually laid claim to the gym on rainy days, had generously donated their claim to the basketball team for practice.  
 _I wonder if Daisuke's 'enhanced persuasion' techniques figured into their decision at all,_ Michael thought to himself when he had first heard the news.  
The other school's team had been stretching and warming up tirelessly since their arrival. Yosuke stood there, fiddling with his new jersey, having since been drafted onto the team.  
"Remind me again, why am I doing this?" Yosuke groaned.  
"Sorry bro, but a few of the guys were no-shows, so we're short on players." Kou explained.  
"Yeah, this shit happens all the time. That's why I'm here. Just do your best!" Daisuke encouraged him.  
Yosuke looked over to Michael, "This must be cake for you. I always wanted to be that tall."  
"Is that your way of asking for a piggyback ride?" Michael smirked.  
"Hell no!"  
Chie was setting up recording equipment as Ai marched up to her. Yosuke nudged Michael and pointed at the imminent exchange.  
"Meow!" He grinned.  
"Never make that noise again. Ever. For the rest of all time." Michael growled.  
 _And yet, I find myself intrigued,_ he thought and watched them out of the corner of his eye.  
Ai stood right in front of the camera Chie had been adjusting and glared down at her.  
"Listen, you may be helping out for this one game, but I want you to know that you are not welcome here!"  
Chie looked up at her in annoyance, "What do you care? You never show up anyway!"  
Yosuke snickered and turned to Narukami who had been practicing his passing with a fellow player.  
"It's hard being a ladies' man, huh, Narukami?"  
"Huh?" Narukami replied, dumbfounded.  
They were interrupted by the screech of the referee's whistle. The teams lined up opposite each other and bowed.  
"Let's play fair!" They said in unison.  
 _I'm a long way from LA,_ Michael thought dryly.  
Kou and the other team's captain jumped for the ball, a duty that was first offered to Michael due to his height advantage, but passed it along to Kou. Unfortunately, as far as the game itself was concerned, this was an error. The other captain was able to knock the ball to one of his teammates and they took position. Narukami attempted to steal it, but was faked out by a pass to an unseen adversary who had snuck up on his flank. The game continued on in a back and forth fashion as Ai and Chie took notes. However, it would appear Ai was focused more on glaring at Chie from across the bench.  
"Seeing you up close just pisses me off even more," Ai finally said, "I can't believe I lost to a dumpy-looking dog like you."  
Chie stared daggers at her opponent, "What are you even talking about?!"  
Daisuke tried to pass the ball to Kou, but it was stolen.  
"Don't act like you don't know!" Ai snapped, "I'm going through Hell right now because of you!"  
Kou stole the ball back and passed it to Michael who immediately was swarmed.  
"Fuck off, you gits," Michael growled lowly and, in a rage, swung around and slammed his elbow into the chest of one of his adversaries. It was, of course, ruled a foul.  
"Well as long as we're sharing, I've got something to tell you!" Chie turned on her angrily, "I've seen the way you push Narukami around, it's horrible!"  
Ironically, Narukami had attempted to steal the ball back and, after some roundabout passing by the other team, was rewarded with dizziness for his efforts.  
Ai looked taken aback, "No way, you have the hots for Narukami, don't you?"  
"He's my friend!" Chie rebutted.  
Ai looked off to the side, "You're loved AND you've got a lot of friends to boot, great." she said bitterly.  
Kou was able to steal the ball back and slowly advanced up the court.  
Ai jumped to her feet. "You've got everything, you bitch!" Ai screamed and slapped Chie across the face.  
Kou attempted a shot, but it bounced off the rim.  
"What the Hell?!" Chie cried, holding her cheek, "All I was saying was that if you're gonna be Narukami's girlfriend, then treat him better!" Chie then slapped Ai back.  
Kou attempted a lay-up, but the ball was fiercely contested and knocked out of his hand.  
Ai squealed and slapped her back.  
Followed by yet another slap by Chie.  
Michael was no longer enjoying the game. That is, not for the game's sake. The adrenaline within him had translated into rage and he found himself performing every bit of physical violence he felt he could get away with. The passive looks of determination on the opposite teams' faces just fueled the fire.  
By this time, Ai and Chie's slap fight had turned into a collection of pushing and hair-pulling, causing Yosuke to stop playing entirely just to watch the spectacle.  
"Ah, to be young and in love," He sighed dreamily.  
Narukami stopped and looked too, "What the..."was all he could manage.  
"Less than a minute left!" Kou called out in desperation.  
Kou had stolen the ball and quickly made his way down the court.  
This announcement did not stir Ai and Chie from their vicious engagement.  
"Hey, knock it off!" Narukami shouted, "This could be Kou's last game, so enjoy it!"  
Ai broke her head free from Chie's grip on her cheek and turned to look at him in shock.  
"His last game?" She mumbled through Chie's fingers.  
Kou made it midway up the other side of the court, right into the arms of a defender. In a split second, Kou faked him out and took the shot. The ball hit its mark with a 'swoosh' just as the buzzer went off.  
Drenched in sweat, Kou leaned over, placing his hands on his knees, and breathed heavily. Despite making the shot, Yasogami High did not come out victorious. The other team went around high fiving each other, many giving dirty looks to Michael who had a smug grin, and a bloody lip, on his face to show for his efforts. Narukami and Yosuke were able to break up Chie and Ai's spat. Ai sat alone, staring at Kou with a deep, legitimate concern in her eyes.

After the game, the group met up at Aiya for a post-game dinner. The different varieties of meat bowls steamed at their tables as they raised their glasses in unison for a toast.  
"We did our best!" They cried together.  
 _This place might just be growing on me,_ Michael thought to himself warmly, surveying the tired, yet contented faces of his peers.  
A blue-haired girl dressed in the Aiya diner's uniform walked up with another beef bowl on a tray.  
"Beef bowl with rice?" The girl asked.  
"That would be mine," Kou said, raising a finger.  
Yosuke's eyes widened, "Wait, Aika?! Your family runs this place?"  
The girl identified as Aika nodded, "Yes."  
"We've been classmates this whole time and I didn't know this?"  
Aika shrugged, "Guess so."  
Kou picked up his bowl and brought it to his face, "Boy, let me tell ya, I am ALWAYS starving after a good workout! I'm digging in!" He said gleefully, shoveling the food into his mouth.  
 _Boy howdy,_ Michael thought, suddenly feeling like a culinary light-weight.  
Narukami and Daisuke stared at Kou with concern in their eyes at the apparent bliss that Kou was exhibiting.  
"Yep, really good!" Kou confirmed, his mouth full of beef and rice.  
"Ichijo...I'm really sorry, bro." Daisuke said apologetically.  
"I let you down too," Narukami said, head bowed.  
"I should've focused on the ball rather than the brawls," Michael sighed.  
Kou looked at all of them, stupefied.  
"And it was your last game too," Narukami quietly lamented.  
"Oh yeah, that." Kou said, taking a sip from his drink, "I decided I'm not quitting."  
Everyone turned to look at him.  
"I've realized something after playing that game. I love playing basketball, I hate losing, and I refuse to let it end like this." Kou explained, a determined look on his face.  
"We were only able to take on those guys because you two joined the team," Kou said, looking to Narukami and Michael, "I owe you guys, big time. Thank you both."  
Michael and Narukami grinned.  
"It was nothing man, but I didn't do much." Narukami said.  
"Turns out height ain't all it's cracked up to be," Michael admitted.  
Kou leaned across the table.  
"And when our team does win a game, THEN I will tell her how I feel," he whispered.  
 _Oh good, I was so concerned my fan art would all be for naught,_ Michael thought dryly.  
"Yeah, you do that..." Narukami groaned.  
"So what do you guys say? You gonna stay on the team, help us win some games?" Kou asked.  
"Yeah, sure," Narukami nodded.  
Michael gave an affirmative nod, unable to answer with his mouth full.  
Chie stretched, "I'd love to stick around too, but I can't. It would seem I don't mix well with a certain someone."  
Ai gave Chie the most contemptuous look Michael has ever seen.  
"Really, you're bailing?" Kou asked, dejected.  
"So, um, Ichijo," Ai began nervously, "Do you mind if I stick around with the basketball team?"  
"Of course you can!" Kou replied excitedly.  
Ai flushed in satisfaction, and Michael noticed a smirk appear across Narukami's face as well.  
 _Did he plan this?_ Michael thought in disbelief, _Nah, that's impossible. No one is THAT good with people._

As afternoon turned to evening, the group took their leave of Aiya.  
"So did you see that last shot I made? I mean, did you really see it?" Kou bragged confidently.  
Michael and Narukami had been talking amongst themselves until Ai caught up to them.  
"Hey, Yu, wait up!" She said.  
Michael immediately felt uncomfortable, pulled out his phone, and stepped away from Narukami and Ai, Narukami's pleading look that seemed to say "Please don't leave me alone with her" going unanswered.  
Michael glanced up from his phone. Kou and Daisuke were speaking to one another, Chie and Yosuke had paired up, and he was not about to return to what he just escaped.  
 _Hello, 'standing in the background awkwardly', my old friend,_ he thought to himself.  
Suddenly, as if by divine intervention, his text alert went off. It was Yukiko.

 **Yuki: Hey, how was the game?  
Michael: We lost, but good times were had. I missed you there.  
Yuki: I'm sorry. Mother felt that it would be improper for me to say I can't attend classes, but show that I am well enough to attend school games.  
Michael: Yeah, I can see how that would be frowned upon.  
Yuki: So you lost?  
Michael: Not for lack of trying. I could've used your cheering.  
Yuki: Hahaha, G. O. YASOOOGAMI GO. TO. HELL!  
**Michael laughed out loud at this.  
 **Michael: That's the ticket.  
Yuki: Hey, are you hungry?  
Michael: Why? Am I performing my maiden voyage as a taste-tester today?  
Yuki: Goodness, no. The chef wants to know if you're gonna need a big dinner?  
Michael: No, we ate at Aiya. Want anything while I'm out?  
Yuki: I'd hate to put you out.  
Michael: I'd hate for you not to.  
Yuki: Well if you're going by Shiroku, could you get me one of those instant fried tofu bowls? I haven't had one in ages.  
Michael: Your words are my actions.  
Yuki: You are too kind.  
Michael: Be back soon.**

Michael stuffed his phone back into his pocket and did a complete about face in the direction of Shiroku. By the time he caught back up with the group, Narukami was walking alone and Ai, who had bedeviled Narukami for the past few days, sported a much softer expression on the arm of Kou.  
"Whoa, wait, was she into Kou all along?" Michael asked incredulously.  
Narukami shrugged and smirked.  
"So that's why in the equipment room when Kou said he has a thing for Chie, she tried to off herself."  
"Yeah, she's an emotional person."  
They walked a few more meters before Michael spoke once more.  
"So what do you have against him?"  
Narukami raised an eyebrow, "Nothing, I think he's a great guy."  
Michael chuckled, "You have a funny way of showing it."  
Narukami's features softened and the two friends shared a laugh as the sun set on the eventful day.


	15. April 30th

April 30th

Narukami, Yosuke, Chie, Michael, and Yukiko met up on the roof of the school after the dismissal bell rang. Yukiko had finally returned to school, much to the delight of the male student population. Chie and Yukiko were sitting side by side, a bowl of instant foodstuffs sitting in their laps. Michael felt a strange warmth seeing Yukiko with the food he'd bought her, like he had won some small victory.  
"Gee Yukiko, you're lookin' good. Glad to have you back," Yosuke said.  
Yukiko smiled and nodded, "Sorry if I've worried you all." She said softly.  
"Now that Yukiko and Michael are back with us one-hundred percent, and Narukami's schedule has spontaneously been freed up, I think we should move on with our investigation." Yosuke said seriously.  
"Whoa whoa whoa, hold on there," Michael said, making a T with his hands.  
"I think Yukiko and I have been more than patient so far, so spill it. What's going on here? What's with a world being in a TV? Where do these Personas come from?" He asked.  
"From what we can tell, whoever shows up on the Midnight Channel is the killer's next target," Narukami began to explain.  
"Hold on, to clarify: The Midnight Channel is that weird staticy image thing that shows up at midnight when the TV is off, right?"  
"Midnight on rainy nights," Chie clarified.  
Narukami went on, "But it isn't always staticy. From what we've determined with Yukiko's kidnapping, the channel depicts clearly what appears to be a low-budget TV show hosted by the person's Shadow AFTER they've already been thrown in."  
"A low-budget TV show?"  
"Yeah, like Yukiko's was that princess version of her standing outside her castle. She said something about, uh..." Yosuke began to explain, but found himself searching for words.  
"Your words, use them." Michael snapped impatiently.  
"Well...she said she was going to 'score a hot stud to be her prince'." Yosuke said.  
Yukiko flushed and her jaw dropped, the food she had in her chopsticks dropped back into the bowl. Michael's eyes widened, but he quickly regained control of his ocular functions.  
"I assume that's when you knew that wasn't the real her," Michael reasoned.  
"Yeah, Yukiko wouldn't say that stuff," Chie nodded confidently.  
"Can we move on to a different subject?" Yukiko said quickly, her face still red.  
Michael obliged her.  
"So how did you come to the conclusion that folks who showed up on the Midnight Channel were the ones being thrown into the TV? Surely there were earlier examples of this."  
"There was. Ms. Yamano and Saki both showed up on the Midnight Channel before they were found dead." Yosuke said.  
Michael's face betrayed fear for a moment, "So you're saying people who are in that world are killed there and then their bodies are brought back here?"  
"Something like that. You remember the fog you saw in the other world before you got your Teddie glasses?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Well, Teddie says that whenever the fog over there clears, the Shadows grow extremely violent. At which point, if anyone is inside that world, they kill them."  
"But that doesn't explain how they wind up back over here?"  
"Apparently when the fog over there clears, that's when it gets foggy here in Inaba."  
"So, theoretically, the bodies literally come in with the fog?"  
"Exactly."  
Michael ran a hand over his beard.  
"How did you folks even learn how to get inside the TV in the first place?"  
Yosuke placed a hand on Narukami's shoulder, "This guy just was able to do it right off the bat."  
Yukiko looked at Narukami in awe, "Is that so?"  
Narukami nodded, "But now that Chie and Yosuke have their Personas, they can do it too. I bet you and Michael can do it as well."  
"But don't try to go in alone! Oh and the only exit we know of is on the other side of the TV at Junes." Yosuke cautioned.  
"Seems kind of dangerous, what happens if an employee or staff member sees you go in or come out?" Michael asked.  
Yosuke ran a hand through his hair, "You just leave that to me," he said smugly.  
"And why would I do that?"  
"You're looking at the local 'Prince of Junes'." He said with an exaggerated flourish of his hand.  
Chie groaned, "What he means is he's the son of the branch manager, so he can usually come up with a pretty good excuse to get the floor cleared."  
"Of course he is," Michael waved his hand impatiently, disgruntled that the topic deviated this far, "Let's get back to the meat, why was Narukami able to go into the TV from the word go? Did you already have a Persona?"  
Narukami shrugged, "I guess so, I never knew about it before though."  
"So you didn't face your Shadow?"  
"Nope."  
Yukiko glanced around at Chie and Yosuke, "What about you? Did you two fight your Shadows as well?"  
Chie and Yosuke looked at each other nervously, "Well yeah." Chie said shakily.  
Michael studied them both, "I get the feeling that, like with Yukiko and I, those confrontations are a sensitive topic."  
They nodded.  
Michael waved dismissively, "Then let's leave that at that. Come to think of it, it rained last night. Was anyone on the Midnight Channel?"  
Chie shook her head, "No. We figured you and Yukiko must've been the last two in there."  
"Well, considering that a foggy day results in the death of the victim, that would put us on a time limit." Michael thought out loud.  
Narukami nodded, "Yeah, but we do get some forewarning. It seems like that fog only sets in after a few days of near nonstop rain."  
"So, if we stayed in there any longer, we could have..." Yukiko began.  
"But we didn't." Michael said tersely.  
A silence came over the group.  
"Okay, we said our piece now it's your guys' turn." Yosuke said.  
"Is there anything you remember from before you were kidnapped?" Narukami asked.  
"Well I was busy attending to business at the inn, as I normally do. Then I think I heard someone call my name...or maybe a bell rang? Maybe both? I can't say for sure." Yukiko said., "I'm sorry, it's all still so fuzzy. I've been thinking about it a lot, trying to remember, but it never gets any clearer."  
"It's okay, you've done your best," Chie reassured her.  
"What about you, Michael? Anything?" Yosuke asked.  
Michael shrugged, "My experience was about the same. Going about my business, heard someone call me, next thing I know I'm in that castle."  
"So no new leads," Yosuke groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
Chie growled angrily then pumped her fist, "I wanna find the bastard who's pushing people in there and shove him into his own world of pain!"  
"Here, here!" Michael cheered, "I wanna help you guys out, see this whole thing through!"  
"I'm going to help too," Yukiko said, determined.  
Yosuke nodded, "Good. We're gonna need all the help we can get. Knowing what we know, this case is clearly too big for even the cops to handle. We've got the special powers, they don't. Right, partner?" Yosuke said, looking over to Narukami.  
"Right, we're gonna bring this guy to justice. Its gotta be us." He said commandingly.  
"Damn straight." Michael affirmed.  
Yosuke looked down at the bowls of food the girls had been nibbling on throughout the exchange.  
"Say, those look pretty good, can I try some?" Yosuke asked.  
Chie turned away from him, "Hands off the soba, mister!"  
"Oh come on, just one bite!" Yosuke pleaded.  
"Ugh, fine." Chie handed him the bowl.  
Yukiko looked down at her bowl and then looked up at Michael.  
"Would you like a bite?" She offered.  
Michael gave a wry smile and shook his head, "No thank you," he said politely. His train of thought took precedence over his appetite.  
Yukiko looked to Narukami, "How about you?"  
Narukami nodded, "Sure."  
He accepted the bowl. Yosuke and Narukami began taking small bites, but quickly evolved into large bites, which finally transformed into completely stuffing their faces with the girls' food.  
"Hey! Give those back!" Chie squealed.  
Yosuke and Narukami snapped out of their gluttonous trance and handed the bowls back to their original owners.  
"What?! You ate it all?!" Chie cried, seething with anger.  
"My fried tofu..." Yukiko pouted.  
"You are so gonna pay for this!" Chie shouted, jumping to her feet and advancing on Yosuke.  
"No no no! Wait, wait! I'm sorry! I'll buy you steak! I promise!" Yosuke begged, falling to his knees.  
"...My fried tofu..." Yukiko lamented.  
"I'll get you some more," Michael assured her, "I'm sure Yosuke can get me a damn good discount on some from Junes, right?" The question sounded more like a threat.  
Yosuke threw up his hands defensively, "Hey, Narukami was the one who ate hers, not me!"  
"...But I wanted it now," Yukiko's pout became more pronounced.  
"Forget the tofu, Yukiko! The guys are buying us steak!" Chie said excitedly.  
"...only if it isn't too fattening." Yukiko conceded.

They group found themselves at the Junes food court, a plate of steak sat steaming in front of Chie and Yukiko.  
"Steak steak steak steak steeaaakk~" Chie sang happily, " Gee, I didn't know Junes sold grilled steak now."  
"Junes is just doing its part to spread the local flavor," Yosuke replied proudly.  
"Dude, they just use a yakisoba griddle!"  
Chie looked over at Yukiko, "C'mon Yukiko, we could have instant noodles and tofu any day! Today we got free steak!"  
Yukiko looked off to the side, "I guess, but I'm still mad."  
"S-sorry," Narukami stammered, but she averted his gaze.  
"So I got more questions," Michael said, leaning back in his chair.  
"Shoot," Yosuke replied.  
"If Narukami was the only one who could go into the TV to begin with, what made you all go in with him?"  
"Well, it was kind of an accident," Narukami explained, "I told them that I was able to stick my hand in the TV. They didn't believe me, so I did it right in front of them. Then they kinda freaked out and, next thing I know, we fell in."  
"Nice," Michael said dryly.  
"We were almost trapped in there too, if Teddie hadn't come along and let us out. He's the only one who can make exits out of there." Yosuke reflected.  
"Just what IS Teddie anyway? I noticed that his fur has got a zipper around the head."  
Yosuke cringed, "He's a big empty bear suit. Even he doesn't know what he is."  
"Wait, he's empty inside? How do you know?"  
"Well I MAY have pulled his head off at one point," Yosuke laughed nervously.  
"That's terrible!" Yukiko scolded.  
"Pft, he was fine, didn't affect him at all." Yosuke scoffed.  
Michael took a sip of water and ran a hand over his beard.  
"So that's when you all faced your Shadows and got your Personas?" Michael asked.  
"No, that happened the second and third time we went in." Narukami clarified.  
Michael sat up, "Why would you go in a second time? This must've been before Yukiko and I were thrown in."  
The mood suddenly turned dark and Michael noticed Chie and Narukami glancing nervously at Yosuke who's expression had hardened.  
"...Do you remember the second murder victim?" Yosuke muttered.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "It was uh...Saki something right?" Then it hit him.  
"Wait, Saki...wasn't she the girl you were going out with?"  
Yosuke winced, "Something like that. Let's just say I really cared for her."  
Michael's features softened, his resting scowl vacating his face.  
"Yosuke, I'm so sorry man. I can't imagine what that must be like," He said softly.  
After a long pause, Yosuke spoke again, "That's why I gotta catch this guy. For Saki's sake."  
"Yosuke-kun.." Yukiko's voice trailed off.  
"I know this is a very pragmatic way of looking at it, but I feel more comfortable knowing a lot of us have a personal stake in all this." Michael said, his scowl returning.  
A silence fell over the group.  
"Well, now that Michael and Yukiko are mostly caught up, let's start discussing what to do going forward." Chie suggested.  
"Right," Narukami nodded, "So what have we learned?"  
The group thought for a moment.  
"Hm, so far only people who live in Inaba have been victims." Yosuke commented.  
"And all the presumably intended victims have been female." Michael added.  
"Huh? But you're a guy and you were thrown in?" Narukami said with a questioning look.  
Michael nodded, "Yeah, but I have trouble believing that I was the primary target. You folks didn't mention me showing up on the Midnight Channel."  
Yosuke thought for a moment, "He's right, I don't remember him being on the Midnight Channel..."  
"Wait!" Chie sprang up, "He was! The first static-y image thing we saw! There was a guy standing just behind Yukiko, off to the side!"  
"There was?"  
"Yeah! I thought that maybe it was just some weird effect at first, but looking back on it, it was definitely the silhouette of the Shadow that Michael faced!"  
Narukami nodded, "You're right, I remember that too."  
Yosuke shrugged, "I think Michael's got a point. He didn't get nearly the screen time on the Midnight Channel that Yukiko did. Plus, they live in the same building, maybe Michael was just in the wrong place at the wrong time?"  
"So it was me who got you kidnapped..." Yukiko said sadly, looking apologetic.  
"You did nothing wrong. All of this is on the kidnapper, no one else." Michael reassured her.  
"In any case, we can now operate under the assumption that all the victims are at least female Inaba residents," Narukami said.  
"A lady killer. Even society's most unstable individuals are not free from the allure of cliché." Michael mused darkly.  
"Any other similarities?" Yukiko asked.  
They thought for a moment.  
"They all share a connection to the first murder," Narukami announced.  
"Hey, you're right. Saki was the one who found Ms. Yamano's body, wasn't she?" Chie said.  
"And Ms. Yamano stayed at our inn!" Yukiko concluded.  
Michael licked his lips, "Okay, I can see why Saki would have been targeted, that's a direct connection since she found the body. But why Yukiko? I mean, her parents and staff worked with Ms. Yamano just as much as Yukiko did, if not more."  
Narukami turned to look at Yukiko, "Do you recall noticing anything strange about Ms. Yamano? Something that's inconsistent with your other guests?"  
Yukiko thought for a moment, and then shook her head.  
"No, I can't say that I did. Most of the time I'm helping out in the dining room, but Ms. Yamano kept to her room mostly and rarely came out."  
"That's understandable, wasn't she the subject of some controversy?" Michael asked.  
Chie nodded, "Yeah, she was having an affair with some politician, wasn't she?"  
"Yeah, you're right. What was his name? Namatame or something?" Yosuke asked.  
"I assume the police have already questioned him." Michael said.  
Yosuke nodded, "Yeah. The news reported that they found he had a solid alibi for the time of Ms. Yamano's death."  
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, "Which means nothing because he could've, theoretically, thrown her in days before and been halfway across the globe by the time her carcass was dumped back into this world."  
"A fair point, but I don't think so," Narukami interjected, "It sounds like he was just as much as victim of that affair as Ms. Yamano was. His ex-wife was suing them for damages and they both lost their jobs."  
"Okay, so what about his wife?" Yosuke asked.  
"She's a celebrated enka ballad singer, isn't she?" Yukiko asked.  
"Yeah, and she was on tour at the time. She hadn't been anywhere near Inaba for weeks." Chie confirmed.  
"So, what now?" Michael asked, rubbing his temples.  
"Now, all we can do is wait and see if our theories hold true," Narukami said, "And keep an eye on the Midnight Channel."


	16. May 1st

May 1st

Michael was preparing himself for school. Ever since he had returned home the night prior, he could not help but keep an eye on the TV. His heart was filled with apprehension, knowing that a world of terror lived just beyond the screen.  
 _I know Narukami said I probably could enter the TV on my own now,_ Michael thought, _I hate to say it, but I'm scared to death to try.  
_ Finally, he took a deep breath and touched the screen. He jumped as his finger sunk in, ripples dancing from the point of impact.  
 _Yep, that settles it,_ he confirmed.  
He turned on the TV to the news, a custom he was going to grudgingly force upon himself from today forward. The TV displayed an on-the-scene reporter with a seeming army of bikers in the background.  
"We are here on the scene with the biker gang who has been terrorizing the outskirts of rural Inaba," The reporter went on, "Hold on, we are being approached by the reputed leader of the gang itself who supposedly single-handedly crushed a biker gang previously totaling over one hundred members. We cannot divulge his identity as he is still a minor but- hey!"  
The alleged leader of the gang had grabbed the reporter by the collar and lifted him up off his feet. Despite supposedly being a minor, the boy was tall, not as tall as Michael but taller than Narukami, and showed a lean muscle mass through his shirt. His hair was bleached blonde and he wore a purple shirt with a white skull and crossbones as its centerpiece. His face had been blurred.  
"Hey, this ain't a goddamn freak show, asshole! Get bent!" The boy barked.  
 _Man after my own heart,_ Michael thought.  
There was a knock on Michael's door and he turned off the TV.  
"Michael-kun, breakfast is ready," A waitress said from outside the door.  
"Understood, I will be there presently."

He sat to breakfast with the Amagi couple, but noticed Yukiko was nowhere to be found. A nervous concern immediately welled from within him.  
"Where's Yuki-chan?" Michael asked casually, in between bites of food.  
Mrs. Amagi must have noticed the shake in his voice or perhaps it was in his expression that gave away his worries.  
"Don't worry, she just left early to catch up on some things at school," Mrs. Amagi assured him.  
"I admire her dedication," Michael replied.  
"She's always been an overachiever in school, despite needing to help out here quite often. She's gonna make a great manager one day."  
Michael felt a sweat come over him, "No doubt," he lied.

With a parting wave to the Amagis, Michael made his way to the lobby to fetch his coat. He took note of the sole inhabitant who was sitting by the door, a newspaper covering his upper body, but Michael could still see he was wearing blue dress pants. Michael stepped outside and began making his way down the road when he heard someone else leave the inn behind him.  
 _Easy there, buckaroo, don't overreact,_ Michael told himself over and over, but he still found his hand thumbing the knife he kept in his right pocket. He pulled out his phone and pretended to fix his hair in the reflection. Sure enough, the man from the inn's lobby was following him, still holding the newspaper, a singular detail that amused Michael. That amusement was fleeting, however, and rage began to fill in the gap. Without thinking, Michael stopped. He heard the footsteps behind him stop as well.  
"I hope I'm not walking too fast for you," Michael called out before turning to face his pursuer.  
The man stiffened and slowly lowered the newspaper, revealing the spooked eyes of Detective Adachi. Michael breathed a sigh of relief.  
"Ah, detective. You have good taste. The morning air is exquisite coming off the river. Fine time for a walk."  
Adachi folded up the newspaper, let it drop to his side, and sighed.  
"Good one Adachi, you couldn't even follow a damn kid right," Adachi muttered to himself.  
Michael approached him.  
"If you have more questions for me, you could have just called me down to the station. I would have obliged at the earliest opportunity."  
Adachi rubbed the back of his neck, "No, it wasn't that. It's just that you and Yukiko-san are the only living connections we have with this case."  
"So you officially think our kidnapping is connected to the murders?" Michael asked, feigning surprise.  
Adachi held his chin in his hand, looking up at the sky in thought, "Well, your statements were pretty strange. Plus, if Ms. Yamano did cause Mrs. Amagi to fall ill, it would give your friend Yukiko a motive to-"  
Michael's eyes widened and he felt his ears begin to pin back, "Do not impugn her character in front of me, detective. If you insist on pursuing this line of fruitless inquiry, you will find the true culprit will exceed your reach with every wasted moment."  
Adachi was taken aback, "Whoa, look I'm sorry man. Sometimes I think out loud, me and my big mouth. Just, please, don't bring this up with Dojima or anybody." He stammered and pleaded.  
Michael immediately felt pity.  
 _I just laid into him knowing full well the police literally CAN'T catch this guy,_ he thought guiltily to himself.  
"I apologize, detective. This is still a fresh wound and I have not been getting the sleep I need to maintain an even temper. I hope you can forgive me." He said, outstretching a hand.  
Adachi looked surprised and accepted it, "Hey it's alright, I'm sorry too."  
"I never got a chance to thank you for coming as quickly as you did when Chie found us. Knowing you all are on top of this gives me peace of mind." Michael added.  
 _Poor fella seems like he could use a little sphincter massage,_ Michael quipped to himself.  
Adachi's features brightened, "Absolutely no problem at all! Don't worry, sir, the Inaba PD are on the case!"  
 _Did he just accept that as genuine? If he can't detect polite flattery, how could he possibly detect evidence?  
_ "So are you going to follow me all the way to school? If so, I'll have the chef pack me another lunch." Michael said wryly.  
"Oh, n-no I think I've gotten all I need for today. Be safe!" With that, Adachi hurried off past him.  
"Poor bastard," Michael said to himself.

Michael ran into Narukami on his way into school.  
"So are we gonna meet up at all today?" Michael asked him.  
Narukami shook his head, "No, unfortunately I gotta get ready for vacation."  
"Vacation?"  
"Yeah, it's Golden Week. Didn't you know?"  
"I heard it mentioned, but I didn't realize we were let out from school for the duration."  
"Yeah, but I'll only be gone for a couple of days."  
Michael 's scowl darkened, "I just hope nothing happens while you're gone."  
Narukami noted the tension in his voice.  
"I already checked the weather, there isn't going to be any fog for awhile. So even in the worst case scenario, we'll be fine." Narukami attempted to reassure him.  
Michael shrugged it off.  
Ahead of them was a tall boy wearing his Yasogami High blazer draped over his shoulders. His hair was bleached blonde.  
 _Hey, is that the guy from the news story?_ Michael wondered.  
The boy pulled a hand out of his pocket and something small and pink fell out. He did not notice. Narukami and Michael came upon it and examined it. It was a small, pink bunny keychain. Before Michael could stop him, Narukami picked it up and ran to catch up with the boy.  
"Hey, wait a minute!" Michael called after him.  
Narukami came up behind the boy, "Excuse me," he said politely.  
The boy spun around and looked on him severely, "The Hell do you want?!" He growled.  
"Uh, you dropped this," Narukami said, holding out the keychain.  
The boy looked down on it and was startled before quickly regaining his composure. Without a word, the boy snatched the keychain out of Narukami's hand and marched off down the hall once more.  
"I wonder why he got him so worked up?" Narukami asked Michael when the latter caught up.  
"Didn't you see him on the news? That fella's got quite the reputation." Michael explained.  
Narukami looked surprised, "So THAT's Kanji Tatsumi?"  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "They never said his name."  
"I know, but my uncle was sitting with us when we saw the report. My uncle's crossed paths with him from time to time through his work."  
"Generally not a positive attribute for one's reputation to be known by the police through their job."  
Narukami shrugged, "My uncle seems to think he's a good guy at heart. Supposedly the reason Kanji fought those bikers was because their motorcycles would keep his mother awake at night."  
Michael looked impressed, "Shame the guy is so confrontational, I'd love to shake his hand."  
"Have a thing for bad boys, huh?" Narukami teased.  
"You saved my life, so I'll let that one slide," Michael retorted.

Yukiko and Michael met up at the picnic area on the Samegawa floodplain after school. The spring flowers painted the countryside against the green grass backdrop. The river was just down the embankment and its waters would reflect against it when the sun hit just right. They sat at the bench side by side looking out over the vista.  
"This place is so beautiful. I begrudge my poor judgment in not coming here sooner. That view is postcard worthy." Michael said in awe.  
"It has the most beautiful view in Inaba, it's no wonder they maintain the picnic area here so diligently."  
Michael turned away from the river to face her. Her gentle smile perfectly accentuating the gleam of intelligence in her eyes.  
 _And suddenly, the river seems like the second most beautiful view in Inaba,_ Michael shook his head of the cheesy, impulsive thought.  
"So I understand you have something for me, please share it with the class," Michael said, looking at the lunch box Yukiko held in her hands.  
"Oh, yes! Here you are," Yukiko said handing it to him.  
"Finally got around to using the ingredients we bought at Junes, eh?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "Actually I've been practicing with them ever since, but this particular attempt came out so well I just had to box it up for you. Try it out."  
Michael opened up the lunch box and examined its contents. The food looked quite pleasant, no less so than anything else he would normally eat. Then Michael drew his head back slightly by reflex as a pungent smell assaulted his nostrils. He quickly glanced over to see if she noticed his reaction, but to his relief it did not seem she did.  
 _It must just be a strange ingredient combination she used. I really am not used to the cuisine of this place yet,_ Michael reasoned to himself to placate his growing survival instinct, _yeah, that must be it.  
_ "I've been looking forward to this for awhile now," Michael said, subconsciously trying to delay the inevitable.  
Yukiko nodded, "Me too! Go ahead, don't keep us in suspense!"  
She smiled at him with an expectant look on her face that compelled Michael into action. With his newfound courage, he took a bite.  
 _Well, this looks soft. Yes, it is sof- wait, what? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, the inside is tough like it's been overcooked!_ Michael's eyes widened, _By thunder, the OUTSIDE is raw and the INSIDE is burnt? How could this be?  
_ Michael let the sample of the foreign matter migrate around his mouth for awhile. He began to panic.  
 _I can't spit it out, it'll crush her. But can my stomach handle it?_ _This is the only choice I've got, like ripping off a Band-Aid.  
_ Michael swallowed the bite of 'food' and immediately felt a chill go up his spine. He looked over at Yukiko, ready to sugarcoat the fight-or-flight instinct that a simple bite of food caused him, but with dismay realized that he had not disguised his discomfort well enough.  
Yukiko was looking down at the toes of her feet, a disappointed look on her face.  
"You aren't gonna tell me how delicious that was, are you?" She sighed.  
"Hey, don't be so down on yourself. You just keep practicing and once you think you have a winner I'll give it another shot."  
Yukiko looked at him with relief, "You mean there's gonna be a next time?" She asked.  
Michael laughed, "Of course, you're gonna need to do more than that to scare me off."  
"But what if I make something bad again?"  
"It'll only stay bad if you don't practice. My father always told me, 'Repetition is the mother of learning.'"  
"He sounds like a wise man."  
Michael nodded, "He is."  
"You never really told me about your family," Yukiko said.  
Michael shrugged, "Not much to tell. Parents are both retired. Only child. Spend my days reading books and working on computer code."  
"You don't come off as a computer hobbyist."  
Michael gave a wry smile, "I try to maintain a lean build for my health and a working knowledge of practical handyman skills. There are some problems that all those ones and zeroes can't solve, but a hammer or some WD-40 will."  
There was a pause and Michael plucked a small flower, rolling its stem between his thumb and index finger.  
"Do you miss all that?" Yukiko finally asked.  
"I do, but I've learned to manage. I missed them a lot more when I first left, but my parents call almost every night asking about my day so that takes the edge off."  
Yukiko flushed, "Do you tell them about the horrid girl who drags you around all the time, making you taste terrible food?"  
Michael chuckled, "I don't mind coming out here to taste your food. I get something out of all this too, you know."  
Yukiko tilted her head, "What is that?"  
Michael looked away from the flower he had been fidgeting with and looked her in the eye with a warm grin.  
"I told you, I enjoy the view."


	17. May 3rd

May 3rd

Michael and Yukiko sat eating breakfast before work. Thanks to Golden Week, the inn had become busier once more and threatened to necessitate Yukiko and Michael's assistance.  
"Must be tough," Michael said after swallowing a bite of scrambled eggs.  
Yukiko tilted her head, "What must be?"  
"You know, working every extended holiday. One of the downsides to this kind of work, I reckon."  
She shrugged, "It's okay, I never really had much planned for holidays anyway. The only friend I ever really hang out with is Chie and she always understood my scheduling limitations."  
"I know the feeling. Holiday weeks like this, I just longed for solitude away from the hustle and bustle of student life. I'd just settle down with a book at the quietest coffee shop I could find."  
Yukiko giggled, "I'm sorry to hear that, because as long as you work here, you probably won't be getting much of that."  
The receptionist poked her head through the door, "Chie-chan is here to see you two."  
"Show her in, please," Yukiko replied.  
The receptionist disappeared and a moment later Chie stepped in.  
"Goooooood mornin', you two!" She said cheerily.  
"Howdy," Michael replied.  
"Good morning," Yukiko said in turn.  
"Hey I know it's Golden Week and all, but do you think you could break away from the grind for a bit to come hang out at Junes?" Chie asked.  
Yukiko and Michael looked at each other.  
"I can't go, but there's nothing stopping you from going, Michael-kun." Yukiko said.  
Michael held up a hand, "Respectfully, if you aren't going I can't very well see myself enjoying it."  
Yukiko began to protest, but then a voice stopped her short.  
"There will be no need for that."  
Mrs. Amagi stepped in behind Chie, smiling.  
"Mother?" Yukiko said, startled.  
"Yuki-chan, Mikey-kun, you two are sweet to so quickly put your duties before everything else, but that won't be necessary today." Mrs. Amagi said.  
"But what about the crowds? Surely you would want all the help you can get." Michael reasoned.  
Mrs. Amagi shook her head, "We will be fine for the afternoon. Now that I'm feeling better I've got plenty of energy to keep up with the work. Besides, you two have been through so much, go relax with your friends."  
"Mother...thank you," Yukiko said sweetly.  
"You're the best, Mrs. Amagi!" Chie cheered.  
Michael began to protest, "Now I can't in good conscience-"  
Mrs. Amagi wagged a finger at him, "Now now, it is impolite to turn down a gift from your guardian." She mockingly chided him.  
"Yeah, Mikey-kun, lighten up a little!" Chie teased.  
Michael threw up his hands in defeat, "I'll get my coat."  
"Yes! Let's stop by Narukami's house on the way and see if he wants to go."  
"I doubt he would, he's gotta get ready for his vacation he's taking tomorrow," Michael said.  
"Oh, he didn't tell you? His vacation got cancelled. Turns out, Dojima-san had to cover for another detective so he couldn't get the days off he needed." Chie explained.  
"Ah, pity," Michael lied.  
 _Good, leaving Inaba at this point would be poor judgment,_ Michael thought to himself.

The trio made their way to Narukami's house and Chie knocked on the door. Narukami answered it.  
"Gooooood mornin'!" Chie said cheerfully.  
"Good morning," Yukiko added.  
Michael simply nodded.  
"Chie, guys, what are you all doing here?" Narukami asked, surprised.  
"We just wanted to see if you wanted to hang out at Junes today! Yukiko and Michael are coming along and I guess we can invite Yosuke too, if you want." Chie explained.  
Narukami thought for a moment before looking over his shoulder. Michael followed his gaze and noticed a shy Nanako attempting to stay hidden while observing the exchange. Michael remembered her from the train station.  
"Hello Nanako-chan, you're looking well," Michael said with a smile and a wave.  
Nanako quickly hid her face once more.  
"Hi..." Came the soft muffled reply.  
Narukami sighed, "Sorry, I can't today."  
Chie understood immediately. She leaned over to the side to see around Narukami and make eye contact with the little girl.  
"Hey Nanako-chan, how about you come too? What do you say?" Chie said sweetly.  
Nanako was caught off-guard.  
"Well, I...I mean..." She stammered.  
Narukami turned to face her, "Yeah, come on, it'll be fun."  
"I've heard talk that every day is great at your Junes," Michael encouraged, mimicking the store's staple jingle.  
Nanako studied them for a moment, uncertainty on her face.  
"Are you sure it'll be okay?" She asked.  
"Of course it's okay! We'll have a lot of fun!" Chie said happily.  
"Boy howdy," Michael added.  
"Boy howdy!" Yukiko echoed.  
Nanako's expression immediately turned cheerful, "Okay!" She cried with a nod.  
After securing the house, the group started down the street.  
"Pretty cool of your mom to let you guys off for today," Chie said to Yukiko and Michael.  
"I hope she's going to be okay, she just got better a few days ago," Yukiko said with concern.  
"Now don't start worrying yourself, it'll diminish the gesture," Michael replied.  
"I get the feeling you really didn't wanna come today anyway, Mikey-kun," Chie said, poking Michael in the arm.  
Michael shifted uncomfortably, thumbing the side of his nose.  
"I'm just not used to being out and about with a group, that's all."  
Michael looked down and noticed Nanako had been staring up at him. When his eyes met hers, she hid behind Narukami's leg.  
"He really is a gentle giant, trust me," Yukiko said, stooping down to speak to Nanako.  
"I know a basketball team that would disagree," Narukami said wryly.  
Nanako regained her composure and stepped out from behind Narukami. She looked up at Michael.  
"You're really tall..." Nanako muttered.  
"I reckon so," Michael replied.  
"Do you want him to give you a ride on his back?" Yukiko offered.  
Michael cast a look at Yukiko that seemed to say 'what is the matter with you?' to which she replied with a playful smile.  
Nanako shrunk back, "That's really high though, what if I fall?"  
"He won't let you fall," Yukiko insisted.  
The what's-the-matter-with-you look grew even more intense.  
"Go on! Imagine what you could see from up there!" Chie said, joining in.  
"You'd be taller than me," Narukami added.  
That novelty of a notion seemed to compel Nanako to action. She looked up at Michael with a big smile.  
"Yeah! I wanna ride!" She cheered.  
 _Goddammit,_ Michael cursed to himself, but smiled outwardly.  
The group stopped and Michael crouched to his knees. Nanako stood behind him and latched onto his shoulders. He hooked her legs through the loops of his arms and, with a grunt, rose up.  
"Wow! I can see so far from up here!" She squealed happily.  
"You look like you're flying!" Chie said excitedly, encouraging the child-like wonder.  
Yukiko came up to Michael's side and nudged him. He looked over and saw a thankful expression on her face.  
"You are very fortunate to have such a bright friend like Yukiko who is so quick to come up with such _fun_ ideas," Michael called up to Nanako, casting a sideways glance at Yukiko.  
She laughed nervously and the group marched on, the wonder never leaving Nanako's face.

The group arrived at Junes food court and met up with an apron-clad Yosuke who was still on the clock. The various aromas from the varying food outlets mixed together perfectly and made Michael's stomach grumble despite having breakfast only a few hours before.  
 _Food courts are always like this though, especially when the smells wafts through the stores,_ Michael reminisced. Yosuke appeared from one such food kiosk carrying a large tray.  
"Here you are, one big steak," Yosuke announced, taking a plate off the tray and placing it in front of Nanako.  
"Wow, it is big!" Nanako said happily.  
Yosuke began carefully handing out the other orders before an impatient Chie sprung to her feet.  
"God, you're so slow!" She exclaimed, grabbing the tray from him and distributing the plates quickly.  
"Forgive me the guesswork, but I'm going to assume you're a little hungry?" Michael asked her with a smirk.  
"If this doofus went any slower, we'd be having these for dinner!" Chie retorted.  
Chie handed a set of utensils to Nanako with a smile, "Here you go! Eat it all up!"  
Nanako accepted them, "Thank you so much!"  
Nanako began to cut off a piece of the steak.  
"Careful now, don't bite off too much," Michael cautioned.  
"Yeah, you might have to chew it a lot more than usual. They don't sell the best quality steak here," Yukiko added.  
Yosuke's face reddened, "Oh come on, at least don't say that stuff while I'm standing right here!" He cried defensively.  
Yosuke tore off the apron and plopped down into an empty chair with a groan, placing a hand on his forehead.  
"So are you through with work now?" Narukami asked him.  
Yosuke shook his head and sighed, "Nah, I'm just gonna take a break."  
With a sigh, Yosuke looked around at the assembled group.  
"I don't get it, why would you guys wanna spend your Golden Week hanging out in a Junes food court?" Yosuke asked.  
Michael looked at him severely, "Other than helping to pay your wages?"  
Yosuke winced.  
"Well my uncle couldn't take off work to go out of town." Narukami explained.  
"Yeah, plus there's really nowhere else to go around here," Chie added.  
"Yeah okay, but what about Nanako? It's Golden Week and you decide to bring a girl her age to a department store of all places?" Yosuke questioned.  
Yukiko sighed, "Yosuke's right, I feel so bad for her having to be here in Junes."  
Michael raised his eyebrows, "By thunder, did I just hear a tone of sarcasm?"  
Yukiko shrugged, but he saw the flash of a smirk on her face.  
"W-Well, ya know, there are worse places on Earth..." Yosuke stammered as he backtracked.  
Suddenly, Nanako perked up.  
"Something wrong?" Narukami asked her.  
"Listen!" She said quietly.  
Michael listened, but all he could hear over the ambient chatter was a Junes advertisement on the PA system. Out of nowhere, Nanako's voice burst to life.  
"Everyday's great at your Junes~" She sang along with the jingle, "I love Junes!" She added with delight.  
At Nanako's lavish praise, Yosuke's face opened up in the grandest display of joy and pride Michael had ever seen on a body.  
"Someone pull this guy's string, he isn't moving," Michael said, throwing a thumb at the rigid, overjoyed form of Yosuke.  
"The only thing missing from today is a picnic. We were supposed to have a picnic when we went on vacation," Nanako said.  
"A picnic? Were you gonna make it?" Yukiko asked.  
Nanako shook her head and smiled at Narukami.  
The whole table's eyes were on him and he noticed just as he raised a chopstick-full of steak to his mouth.  
"Uh, what?" He asked.  
"So you were gonna make a mean picnic basket, huh?" Yosuke asked.  
"Yeah, I was. Just for fun, you know."  
"Really? That's so cool that you were gonna do that for the family, _big bro._ " Chie chimed in.  
Nanako looked at Chie then at Narukami.  
"Big...bro...?" She repeated quietly, as if getting used to the words.  
Yosuke gave a thumbs up, "Seriously Narukami I think that's totally impressive. You've already got better cooking skills than Chie," He said with a laugh.  
Chie jumped out of her chair angrily and looked down on Yosuke, her fork and knife still in her hands.  
"Hey! What makes you think I don't know how to cook, huh?!" She snarled.  
"Wait, so you can?" Yukiko asked, dumbfounded by the claim.  
"You can seriously cook?" Narukami seemed surprised as well.  
Chie glowered at them.  
"Okay then, it's a cook-off-" She shouted.  
 _Oh God, please don't make this a competition,_ Michael thought, casting a concerned glance at Yukiko.  
"-between you and me, Hanamura!" Chie finished, jabbing a finger at Yosuke.  
 _Oh thank heavens.  
_ Yosuke smirked confidently, "Okay, bring it on!" He said.  
Chie's expression showed absolute dread mixed with surprise.  
 _He called her bluff and all she's holding is a Richard Nixon,_ Michael mused.  
"We're gonna need someone completely impartial to be our judge," Yosuke said, scanning the table before his eyes fell on Nanako.  
"That'll be you, Nanako!"  
Nanako looked up from the drink she was sipping, "Me?"  
"Will I be competing too?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael jumped and swallowed a wad of saliva down his trachea, a coughing fit ensued. Yukiko looked over at him in concern.  
"Oh my, are you okay? You didn't swallow the steak to quickly did you?" Yukiko asked, concerned yet oblivious. He waved her off.  
 _Bye bye to a couple precious years off my lifespan,_ Michael thought.  
"Trust me Nanako, I bet I could make something even better than your mom's cooking," Yosuke bragged.  
Narukami immediately looked up from his food and stared at Nanako with concern.  
Nanako shrugged, "Probably, I don't have a mom. She died in an accident," She said before going back to sipping her drink.  
The table went quiet, even the saliva in Michael's lungs settled down as all eyes settled on her.  
"Yosuke..." Chie said softly, nudging him with elbow.  
"Son, if you insist on sticking your foot in your mouth like that on a regular basis, you're gonna get Athlete's Tongue," Michael hissed.  
Yosuke's face reddened and sweat became apparent on his forehead. He was at a loss for words.  
"I...Oh..." He stammered before hanging his head, "I'm really sorry."  
Nanako looked up at him with a smile, "Why are you sorry? I do just fine! I may not have my mommy, but I still have my daddy around, and..." Her voice trailed off as her face reddened, "...now I have a big brother, too, and all of his friends!"  
Narukami looked surprised by the admiration Nanako held for him, but smiled in response all the same.  
"Plus," Nanako continued, "I got to visit Junes today with all my new friends and it was really fun!" She cried happily.  
The entire table was beaming.  
Michael leaned over to Yukiko, "That little tyke sure knows how to get straight to a fella's heart." He whispered.  
Yukiko nodded, "She is so precious." She whispered back.  
"Anytime you want someone to play with you, Nanako, we'll be there!" Chie offered.  
"Mhm, just ask us!" Yukiko chimed in.  
"Should you ever get the itch to be a giant again, I'm just a phone call away," Michael added.  
Nanako's face lit up at the assurances of the teens.  
"Okay! Thanks! You guys are the best!"

Later that evening, Michael and Yukiko settled down again into another over-the-phone translating session.  
"Nanako-chan sure is a wonderful girl," Yukiko said when they stopped for a break.  
"She sure is. With a respected man like Dojima as her father, I expected nothing less." Michael replied.  
"What do you think of kids?" Yukiko asked after a short pause.  
"There are good ones and bad ones, just like the rest of us."  
There was another pause.  
"Do you ever think about kids?"  
Michael smirked to himself, "You're gonna have to be a little more specific."  
"I mean about having kids, of course!" Yukiko replied, he could hear in her voice that she was flustered.  
Michael thought for a moment.  
"Well I don't have a knack for talking to them or playing with them, never did, even when I was one myself. So I suppose if I found a good motherly type of woman to settle down with, I would consider it. She'd have to do most of the heavy lifting in that area of the relationship."  
"I see. Hm, I was reading in a magazine that the best fathers are the ones who are unaware of their kids."  
Michael laughed.  
"I wouldn't place too much stock in a magazine that says something like that. Why are you reading those types of articles anyway?" He teased.  
"J-Just curious! Sometimes there are good bits of information in them!" Yukiko stammered.  
"You're fun when you're flustered."  
"You're doing this on purpose?!"  
"Guilty as charged, your Honor."  
There was silence on the other end.  
"This is payback for the piggy back ride thing, isn't it?" Yukiko muttered.  
"Bullseye."


	18. May 4th

May 4th

Michael stepped down from the stairs into the lobby of the Amagi Inn when he was stopped by the receptionist.  
"Oh Michael-kun! You have perfect timing, can I ask you something?" She asked urgently.  
"Of course, what's the matter?"  
The receptionist shifted uncomfortably, "Well It could be nothing and I'd hate to bother you with it."  
"It would be no bother."  
"Well there was a young boy who came in here this morning. Nothing unusual about that as it is Golden Week, but instead of approaching the front desk or going up to the guest rooms, he had begun to examine the place."  
Michael tilted his head, "What do you mean by 'examine the place'?"  
"He just had a very focused look in his eyes, he crouched down to get a look at the floor, looked around the window sills, things like that."  
"Have you seen him around before?"  
"No, I haven't. He could have checked in late at night when I was off, but I didn't see him leave in the morning."  
Michael scowled in thought, "I see, go on."  
"I asked him nicely if I could help him with anything, but when he approached the desk, he was all business. Then he had asked to see the guest logbooks for the past two months."  
Michael's eyes widened, "And what did you do?"  
She stiffened with dutiful pride, "I told him that would be inappropriate and I refused."  
"What did he do then?"  
"He proceeded to tell me that it was related to the murders and that it was imperative that he see the logs."  
"Did he provide any indication that he had a professional connection with the authorities?"  
She shook her head, "No. I told him he would have to come back with an official warrant."  
Michael nodded, "That's good, you did well."  
"But he didn't take that as the polite dismissal as I had intended. He simply said 'that won't be necessary' and went up to the rooms."  
Michael scowled, "You mean he's still in here?"  
The receptionist nodded, "I was going to call the police, but when I saw you come down I thought you would like to know first."  
"You have done everything just as you should have. Do me a favor and write down everything you just told me, with time frames if possible. I will see to this singular intruder."  
With that, Michael hurried back up the stairs to the guest rooms.  
 _If this stranger is taking an interest in the murder case, I have a pretty good idea as to where he would go,_ Michael thought to himself.  
He brought his rapid ascent to a halt on the floor that contained the deceased Ms. Yamano's room. Just as he suspected, a dapper boy stood just in front of the door. Michael approached carefully.  
"Can I help you?" Michael said, placing his hands on his hips.  
The boy continued to study the door.  
"Yes, open this door," The boy said matter-of-factly, his eyes never straying from his study.  
"Afraid I can't do that. I'm gonna need you to identify yourself." Michael replied sternly, taking a few more steps forward.  
The boy rose from his study of the lock and turned to face him.  
"Very well. I am Naoto Shirogene and I am here on official business," The boy replied coolly.  
Michael studied the boy. He wore formal, old-style clothing colored a deep blue. A hat reminiscent of the old newsboy caps sat upon his head.  
 _There's something off in his voice but I can't quite place it,_ Michael thought, tapping the side of his leg with his index finger.  
"I don't suppose you have any proof of that," Michael said finally.  
Naoto ignored the question.  
"And just who might you be? Or shall I take the liberty of calling you 'sheriff' like everyone else?" Naoto said, a searching look in his eyes.  
Michael narrowed his eyes, "Funny, maybe I should take the liberty of calling you 'suspicious trespasser'?"  
Naoto held up a hand, "I apologize, that was an unnecessarily dry remark on my part. Admittedly, I already know your name, Michael-san. My inclination toward indulgence in the dramatic overcame my tact."  
Michael's eyes widened and to his dismay, he noticed that Naoto noticed this as well. He quickly regained his composure.  
 _He's quite well-spoken, perhaps he is older than his height and features would have me believe._  
"Now that we have the introductions out of the way, it's time for you to go, Naoto-san." Michael said sternly, pointing at the stairs.  
Naoto did not budge.  
"In a moment. I could not help but notice your arrival here was timed just before these murders began," Naoto said, pulling out a small notebook and leafing through it.  
"And I couldn't help but notice that you somehow went directly to the deceased's room, despite never being here before." Michael retorted.  
Naoto shrugged, "It was easy to find. The talisman hanging just above the door was all I needed for identification of her quarters."  
Michael glanced up at the paper adorned with kanjis that hung just above the door. He recalled that, upon learning that Ms. Yamano was murdered, the Amagis placed talismans around the room as a means of warding off any evil spirits that may have been drawn to the dreadful event. A religious superstition that Michael respected.  
"If this is official business, you will have to return with a warrant. Until then, I will have to ask again that you vacate these premises." Michael said, his hand finding the knife clipped behind his back to his belt buckle.  
Naoto smirked, "We will leave it at that, then. There is no need for violence, I will go quietly."  
Michael glared at him, "I will walk you out."

Michael watched the boy walk down the footpath until he was out of view before returning to the lobby.  
"What happened?" The receptionist asked, obviously interested in all the excitement.  
"If he comes back again, call me. If I'm not here, call the police." Michael said, ignoring the question.  
Suddenly, his phone rang.  
"Excuse me," Michael said politely to the receptionist before answering his phone.  
"This is Michael," he answered.  
"Hey Mike, it's Yosuke!" Came the response.  
"Yosuke, good morning. What's up?"  
"Hey, I was wondering you wanted to go hang out today? Narukami, Daisuke, and Kou are coming along, plus Narukami is bringing Nanako too! You down?"  
"I suppose I can make it, sure. Let me tell Yukiko-"  
Yosuke cut him off.  
"Nah man, Yukiko is great and all, but this is a guys-only thing." Yosuke explained.  
"But Nanako is coming?"  
"Well it wouldn't be cool to leave her all alone on Golden Week!"  
"But it would be 'cool' to leave Yukiko?" Michael asked, offended.  
"Sheesh man, I know you two are close, but you gotta get yourself away from her every once in awhile. Too much estrogen in the air is bad for you, bro!"  
"I do not think that's how hormones work," Michael sighed, "But I suppose I can see if I can be excused from duty for a tick."  
"Right on! See you in a bit!" Yosuke hung up.  
Michael found Mrs. Amagi carrying dishes to the kitchen and, to his dismay, Yukiko was with her.  
"Excuse me, Mrs. Amagi, I'm sorry I have to ask this again, but I'm afraid something came up." Michael began.  
Mrs. Amagi smiled, "You can go," she said warmly, her mothers' intuition knowing full well what Michael was about to ask.  
"Oh, someone asked to go out today?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael sighed, "Yeah ,a few fellow athletes including Yosuke and Narukami. Normally I wouldn't go, but they're taking Nanako along and, knowing that Daisuke and Yosuke have all the tact of a rattlesnake with a toothache, I thought it would be best if I tagged along."  
Yukiko nodded in understanding, "To keep them in line?"  
"To keep them in line."  
"I could think of no one better to do so, Michael-kun. Be safe out there." Mrs. Amagi said.  
"Thank you both. I will try not be away long."  
With a bow, Michael took his leave.

The group met up and made their way to Junes. Michael once again found himself as Nanako's mount. During their window shopping excursion, they found themselves in the Junes electronics department. Being surrounded by so many TVs made Michael feel ill at ease.  
 _One wrong move and we could fall in,_ Michael's thoughts summed up.  
Throughout the trip, Nanako had been having a great time feeling the fabrics of the clothes, eating the treats from the snack kiosks, and pressing the 'Try me!' buttons on the toys and electronics.  
"Boy, Nanako-chan sure loves this place," Yosuke observed with pride, "The first place she said when we asked where she wanted to go was 'Junes!'."  
"Who can blame her? This place has got everything anyone could want. It's like a storehouse of magic. I can see why she likes it so much," Kou said.  
Kou looked down at Nanako who had been clinging to Narukami's pant leg, a precaution against unexpected separation in the crowds.  
"Anyway, isn't she the cutest? I have a little sister too, but she isn't as cute as Nanako-chan." Kou said happily.  
"Cuter than a duck wearing a bowler hat," Michael agreed.  
Nanako flushed and pouted, "Stoooop, I'm not cute!"  
She hid her face behind Narukami's leg.  
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Kou apologized quickly, his face reddening.  
"It's okay, Nanako. It was a compliment," Narukami reassured her.  
Daisuke laughed, "Don't worry Nanako-chan, you're not cute."  
Nanako looked up at him in surprise and then pouted even more.  
The others looked at Daisuke in shock, but his dopey grin did not vanish.  
"Hey man, that was kinda far..." Kou said with concern.  
Michael's stupefaction at the tactless comment led his eye brow to be raised to the point that the muscle began to feel strained.  
 _Childhood head injury, has to be,_ he thought to himself.  
"What are you, stupid or something?!" Yosuke reprimanded the soccer player.  
He had summed up Michael's thoughts perfectly.  
Narukami's features softened and he clapped a hand on Daisuke's shoulder.  
"That's the Daisuke I know," he said with a grin  
Daisuke rubbed the back of his neck, "Aw go on, don't flatter me like that."  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose, "I don't think he was meaning to."  
Michael looked down at Nanako who had since lost interest in the conversation and was staring at a TV on display. To Michael's dismay, it was the TV that was used to enter the other world.  
"Hey, what's up Nanako-chan?" Michael asked, wincing at the nervousness in his voice.  
Nanako looked up at Narukami.  
"Big bro, that TV is huge," she said in awe.  
The group turned to look at the monstrous television.  
"Yeah, it is. I feel like if I watched sports on this setup, I'd be sucked into the screen," Daisuke observed.  
Narukami, Yosuke, and Michael all exchanged nervous glances.  
"Pfft, c-c'mon, like THAT could ever happen..." Yosuke laughed nervously.  
Michael elbowed him in the ribs, "Quit blabbering," he hissed quietly.  
Despite the occasional aggravation, Michael felt he was enjoying himself.

"So Michael, when are you gonna hook us up with some free hot springs?" Daisuke asked as the group began to make their way home.  
"That is not within my power," Michael replied tersely.  
"Oh come on, you live at the Amagi Inn, right? The word around school is that you're Yukiko-san's little lapdog," Daisuke laughed.  
Michael's eyes narrowed.  
"Geez dude, can't you think before you talk?" Kou said, shaking his head, "Sorry about him, Michael."  
Michael waved dismissively.  
"You know, Michael almost didn't come because I told him he couldn't invite Yukiko," Yosuke teased with a wink.  
"Whoa wait, so you two ARE a thing?" Kou asked, his eyes widened.  
"The Amagi Challenge finally has a champion! You the man, Mikey boy!" Daisuke said with a fist pump.  
"You would do well to choke back your fallacious assertions as well as strike any utterance of the 'Amagi Challenge' from your vocabulary presently and forevermore hereafter," Michael lectured through clenched teeth.  
"For a basketball player, you talk like a nerd," Daisuke continued to tease.  
Michael's face flushed and he felt a rage building within him. Narukami, sensing the proverbial powder keg, immediately put an end to the verbal sparring.  
"Hey guys, let's leave the guy be. He only invited Yukiko to be a good friend to her. Her parents are his guardians, he owes her that respect," Narukami said softly, but sternly.  
As always, his voice had an unnaturally calming effect and Michael found his anger dissipating.  
"Thank you," Michael said to him.  
Narukami nodded and smiled.  
Nanako looked up at him with wide eyes, "Can I go to the hot springs some day?" She asked.  
Michael crouched down and patted her head.  
"You can come whenever you'd like, Yukiko and I will guarantee that," he said warmly.  
Nanako giggled and threw her hands in the air.  
"Yay!"  
Michael turned to Daisuke.  
"Tell you what, if you can go an entire month without pissing someone off, I'll see about getting you and Kou into the hot springs as well," Michael smirked wryly.  
Daisuke looked excited at the challenge.  
"You're on!"  
Kou sighed, "We're doomed."


	19. May 6th

May 6th

After their morning chores, Michael and Yukiko found themselves in a group call with Chie and Yosuke, mostly to latter's insistence.  
"Hey come on guys, we could really use you there!" Yosuke's voice said over the cell phone speaker.  
"I don't know, cramming at a department store food court? How could you possibly focus in an environment like that?" Michael replied.  
"It's in such close proximity to brain food, duh!" Chie's voice rang out this time.  
"I know that exams are just around the corner, but is this really the best way to study?" Yukiko asked skeptically.  
"But you're so smart, Yukiko, I bet you'd benefit either way. Oh and Michael, you're good at the whole reasoning thing so you'd really iron out the details for us," Yosuke urged.  
Michael's eyes narrowed despite not being face to face with Yosuke.  
"This is sounding more and more like Yukiko and I will be doing the heavy lifting while you two reap the rewards," he growled.  
"No no no, it's not like that at all! Narukami will be there too!" Chie replied quickly.  
"That didn't answer my original concern."  
"You know I would always help you, Chie. You don't need to form a big cram session for that," Yukiko said sweetly.  
"Hey! Then where does that leave me?!" Yosuke cried.  
"Neck deep in shit creek with your mouth wide open," Michael quipped.  
There was silence.  
"What if I got you guys a deal on some food?" Yosuke sighed.  
"I'm in," Michael stated simply.  
"Only if it's low fat!" Yukiko added.

The group had assembled once again in the Junes food court. The cloudy weather seemed to make people in the area sleepier, which in Michael's personal glossary, meant quieter.  
"This place is starting to feel like home," Michael said, sitting down.  
"Uh huh..." Yosuke groaned, exhaustion in his voice.  
"What's wrong with him?" Yukiko asked.  
Narukami shook his head, "He said he's been up all night studying. He had an energy drink an hour or so ago, but it looks like he's crashed."  
As if on cue, Yosuke face-planted into his open notebook and began to snooze.  
"Incredible, this was all his idea to come cram today and now he's knocked out," Chie said, annoyed.  
"That's okay, let's just go on without him. I'm sure he'll catch up." Narukami said.  
The group went to work silently for awhile, the frequent questions, always from Chie, penetrating the air between them before returning to the silence once more. Finally, Yukiko bought up the topic that Michael knew this powwow would eventually lead to.  
"I just realized, there hasn't been a single incident since Golden Week started, it's so odd" she said.  
Yosuke snapped to a ninety degree angle in seconds.  
"That's what I was thinking! It's something we need to discuss!" He exclaimed.  
"By thunder, my heart," Michael gasped, startled by the sudden vigor from the previously dormant life form that was sitting beside him.  
"Sheesh, it's like he just came back from the dead," Chie said in surprise.  
"He looks pretty good for dead," Narukami observed.  
Yosuke smirked, "Don't I though? But since you brought it up, I've been putting some serious thought into this. Listen up."  
Yosuke pulled a notebook out from his book bag and began thumbing through it.  
"Now we all ascertained that there are connections between Ms. Yamano, Saki, and Yukiko, right?" Yosuke began.  
The group nodded in agreement, Yosuke continued.  
"So what we need to determine is why the killer would target females associated with Ms. Yamano."  
"A flimsy theory, I thought we already discussed that," Michael said, sounding bored.  
"I don't see any other similarities that would help us make sense of all this. Yukiko, Michael, have you two remembered anything from your abductions since we talked last?"  
Yukiko looked down sadly, "No, just the bell and my name being called. That's all."  
Yosuke looked at Michael.  
"Nothing from me either, buckaroo. Same as before, heard my name called and suddenly I was in the TV," Michael said.  
"We may be looking at this from the wrong angle. Let's think about why they show up on the Midnight Channel? Is it some kind of warning?" Narukami asked.  
"A warning? If that's the case, we really need to be diligent in watching the Midnight Channel." Yukiko said.  
Michael stretched, "I highly doubt that looking into the Midnight Channel with our current understanding would amount to anything conclusive. I mean, a world inside a TV? It would be foolish to apply logic and reason to a phenomenon like that."  
Yosuke sighed, "Yeah you have a point there."  
"But we can apply that logic and reason to whoever is throwing them in," Narukami rebutted.  
Michael nodded, "Fair enough, so we should focus on that line of inquiry for now. Plus, we can't rule out the possibility that the killer is completely erratic in his or her choice of victims. Indeed, a serial killer targeting women has been a horrifyingly commonplace deviance the world over for centuries."  
Chie looked frightened, "So there's just some guy who will throw someone in there just for being a girl?" Suddenly, her expression turned from that of fear to immense anger, "Oh man, I'm gonna leave foot prints on his face!"  
"Or her," Michael corrected severely, "It's assumptions as simple and reflexive as that that will subconsciously blind you to important evidence and observations."  
"Fine..." Chie conceded.  
"You seem to be pretty knowledgeable about this stuff," Narukami observed.  
Michael gave an embarrassed smile, "I've been known to read some Sherlock Holmes in my day."  
"I get that we can't determine the mechanics behind the Midnight Channel, but are there any conclusions we can come to as to how it's related to the killings?" Narukami asked.  
Michael thought for a moment.  
"Maybe not the killings directly, but the killer perhaps. The way I see it, there are two possibilities off the top of my head based on working with observable fact and filling in the blanks. Either the Midnight Channel displays people, for whatever reason, and the killer performs the abduction, or the killer can somehow make the Midnight Channel show who he or she will target next, motive unknown."  
There was silence for a moment as the group thought.  
"Unfortunately, we really can't glean much from those theories," Narukami said, "the former makes the suspect pool everyone who watches the Midnight Channel and the latter is even broader since we don't know how someone would even go about manipulating the channel."  
Michael sighed and rubbed his temples, "You're right, it's nothing we don't already know."  
"That whoever shows up on the Midnight Channel is in danger," Narukami confirmed.  
Michael nodded.  
"Well good work today gang, I think we've made a lot of progress," Yosuke announced cheerfully packing up his things, "You're all dismissed.  
"Surely you jest," Michael growled, but Yosuke was gone.  
Chie hung her head, "Ugh, I can't believe it. I was here all afternoon and I still don't understand the exam material!"  
"We'll stay and help you, right Michael-kun? Narukami?" Yukiko said, encouragingly.  
"Uh well I really should get back to Nanako, see you all later," Narukami said hastily, packing up his notes and taking his leave.  
"Those guys are the worst, huh, Michael-kun?" Chie said.  
Michael's eyes were fixed on something just over the girls' shoulders. Just behind them at a food kiosk, stood the boy who Michael had since labeled Yukiko's stalker.  
 _No doubt about it, I'd recognize those disgusting goldfish eyes anywhere,_ Michael thought in a growl.  
"Pardon me for a moment," Michael said, getting up quickly.  
"Not you too!" Chie groaned.  
"Michael-kun, what's wrong?" Yukiko asked with concern.  
"I believe I see an old friend," Michael replied tersely before walking quickly into the crowd.  
He kept the stalker in view out of the corner of his eye, putting on his Teddie glasses to obfuscate his ocular motions. The boy had gone into the grocery section of the store. At a distance, Michael followed.  
 _It doesn't look like he saw me, perhaps he did not notice Yukiko either,_ Michael thought as he slowly moved through the aisles, keeping the boy in visual range. Suddenly, the boy turned and, with a look of a deer in the taillights, took off down an aisle. On instinct, Michael gave chase. With his experience in working during the holiday rush at his old grocery store job, Michael was far more accustomed to dodging oncoming shopping carts at high speeds, even more so cross-traffic. His prey, however, was finding the task far more perilous. Had it not been for the adrenaline of the chase, Michael theorized, the boy likely would have been struck down long ago. Michael felt a triumphant satisfaction well up from within him as he noticed his prey had begun to tire and was just about to summon the final burst of energy to take him down, but Murphy's Law would not allow it. Instead, he nearly ran face first into a store security officer, who grabbed him by the arm.  
"What do you think you're doing?!" The guard roared.  
Michael was at a loss.  
"You're coming with me," The guard said and yanked Michael around.  
"Hey, what's going on here?"  
Michael turned and saw Yosuke approaching them.  
The guard cleared his throat.  
"Ah, Hanamura-san, I was just gonna throw his man out for causing a disturbance." The guard explained.  
Yosuke raised an eyebrow, "What kind of disturbance?"  
"He was running through the store, nearly knocking several of our patrons down, all in pursuit of a boy who had done nothing visibly wrong."  
Yosuke gave a startled look at Michael before regaining his composure and looking back at the guard.  
"This was all a misunderstanding, Michael-kun was helping me out with..." Yosuke paused.  
"...undercover security." Michael finished.  
The guard and Yosuke looked at him in shock.  
"Undercover security?" The guard asked slowly.  
Michael nodded, "With all the kids being out for Golden Week, there was bound to be mischief. Yosuke here asked me to keep an eye out in case any of our classmates with bad reputations were to show up here, and if they did, to observe them."  
Michael glanced quickly at Yosuke.  
"Uh, yeah, but I told you to observe them, not chase them!" Yosuke rebuked, catching on to the bluff.  
Michael hung his head in faked shame.  
The guard looked back and forth at the two of them. Then with a sigh, he released Michael's arm.  
"Look, you kids can't be doing stuff like that on your own. If you see someone suspicious, you come to us. No playing hero." The guard lectured.  
"I'm sorry," Yosuke said with a bow.  
"As am I," Michael added.  
When the guard left, Yosuke walked up to Michael.  
"You owe me," Yosuke smirked.  
"I reckon I do."  
"So what was all that about? Why were you chasing that guy?"  
Michael hooked his thumbs behind his belt buckle, "I have a notion that that kid has been stalking Yukiko."  
Yosuke's eyes widened, "A stalker?"  
Michael nodded, "Remember the guy who asked her out in front of the school when it was raining that day?"  
"That guy you were chasing was him?"  
Michael simply nodded.  
"Whoa, man, that's pretty heavy. Almost being murdered and then having a stalker to boot, I never realized how hard Yukiko has it." Yosuke said, rubbing the back of his head.  
"Few people do," Michael replied tersely, "You know what else she has to do?"  
Yosuke tilted his head, "What's that?"  
"Help Chie study because you called a cram session and contributed jack shit. Plus, it would appear you never actually left. You've been hanging around here, likely flirting with the part-timers. How am I doing so far?"  
Yosuke winced, "Please don't tell Chie," he said, clasping his hands together.  
Michael gave a wry smile, "You remember how you said I owe you?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Consider it paid."


	20. May 12th

May 12th

The final day of exams had come to a close. In the days prior, Yukiko, Michael, and Narukami kept their pencils at a steady pace, while Chie and Yosuke's defeated and irritated groans echoed from all around them. Michael noticed that Yosuke did not even bother to come to class that day. Finally, the exams were collected and the students were free to speak amongst themselves. Michael and Yukiko turned to face Narukami and Chie.  
"So guys, how did everyone..." Michael's voice trailed off when his eyes landed on the vacant expression of Chie.  
"Chie, are you alright?" Yukiko asked.  
Chie simply stared up at the ceiling with her eyes half shut, mouth agape.  
"So, when did she punch out?" Michael asked Narukami.  
Narukami shrugged, "I think about half an hour or so after class started."  
"Understandable."  
The group looked over as Yosuke marched into the room with a smile on his face, stretching.  
"Ahh, free at last," he announced.  
"Where have you been?" Narukami asked.  
"Well I just figured it wouldn't really matter whether I showed up or not, the result was gonna be the same anyway," Yosuke said dismissively.  
"Gee, I wish I was that easygoing about these things," Chie lamented.  
Michael's eyes widened in mock surprise, "She speaks!"  
"Ha-ha," Chie said dryly.  
Yukiko turned to face Narukami and Michael, "So how do you two think you did on the test?"  
Narukami smirked. "My pen was on fire," he said confidently.  
Michael shrugged, "Likely better than some, just as likely not as well as others. How about you?"  
"I think I did pretty well. Thanks again for the help with the English portion, those flashcards you made really helped," Yukiko replied.  
"Don't mention it. Hey, on the question regarding Meiji era..."  
Michael and Yukiko continued fervently discussing the test.  
"I don't know how you three do it," Chie groaned, putting her head in her hands.  
"Just settle down to a quiet desk in the evening and read over the material, that's what I do anyway," Narukami suggested.  
"A lot of my test taking strategies rely on memorizing the sounds of words, rather than the actual meaning behind them. I may not remember WHY an answer is the way it is, but I just have to remember how the question sounds with the answer. Probably the reason why math is my weakest subject, that rule doesn't apply," Michael explained.  
"Flashcards and well-annotated notes have always been a staple of my student career," Yukiko chimed in cheerily.  
Yosuke scoffed, "Michael and Yukiko don't get a say in this! They can study together all the time. It's like a conjoined brain, none of us can hope to compete with that."  
"I don't think that's how it works at all," Narukami said, puzzled.  
"Aw shut up all of you, leave me to my blissful ignorance, " Yosuke snapped.  
Yukiko looked over at Michael, "Oh hey, that reminds me. I need to get some things from Junes, would you mind tagging along and helping me carry them?"  
Michael nodded, "No problem at all."  
Yukiko suddenly became aware of the group around them.  
"Do any of you want to come along?" She asked.  
Chie slowly shook her head, staring at the ceiling once more.  
"Sorry, I gotta head back home. My uncle's gonna be home for dinner tonight so I gotta be back home before he arrives," Narukami said.  
"I think I'm gonna head home too, unwind with some video games, and take a serious nap," Yosuke said happily, clearly looking forward to it.  
With the knowledge he would be alone with Yukiko, Michael felt a massive smile threaten to overtake his features, but managed to compress it down to a satisfied grin.  
"Well there you have it, shall we?" He said, rising from his desk.  
Yukiko nodded, "Let's go." She rose from her seat.  
Michael and Yukiko walked out the door into the hallway and, to their dismay, ran into Mr. Morooka.  
"Just where do you think you're going?" Morooka asked with a glare.  
"Out the doors of the school, presently. Beyond that, our designs are an enigma to you and shall remain so," Michael replied.  
Mr. Morooka turned to Yukiko.  
"You, Amagi! You better not be hitching yourself up to this maggot here!" He snapped.  
Yukiko was caught off guard.  
"I- No, that is to say-" She began to flush.  
"Don't bother denying it! I know all about the living arrangements going on over there at that inn of yours and, if you ask me, the whole damn thing is a degenerate facade! Who on God's green Earth would allow a stranger, a BOY no less, to live under the same roof as their daughter who is the same age! You little pricks shouldn't even be allowed to look at each other, let alone live together!" Mr. Morooka ranted.  
To Yukiko's surprise, Michael simply nodded. Mr. Morooka, who had been waiting for a response, continued in its absence.  
"But what do I know? This isn't like the old days. All you rotten kids are tapping away at your keyboards and cell phones, updating your 'life journals' and your 'my places'. Somewhere along the line, you misplaced your self-respect and common decency!"  
Michael merely nodded some more as Yukiko stared at the floor.  
"Bah, get the Hell out of my face. If you wanna go ruin your lives off campus, so be it! I swear, you kids are gonna kill me one of these days." Morooka's lecture ended with this grumbling dismissal as he stomped off down the hall.  
He pushed between them and stomped down the hallway. They watching him depart in silence.  
"You didn't talk back to him," Yukiko said finally.  
Michael shrugged, "It would've only made it worse. Figured I'd let him burn himself out."  
There was silence once more.  
"If you don't want to come along with me anymore, I'd understand," Yukiko said quietly, looking off to the side.  
"I'm not going to let him get to me, let him think what he wants, I say. How about you?"  
Yukiko looked up at him, eyes wide, and then smiled, "I-I don't mind..."  
"Then that settles it. Yukiko, my dear, lead the way."

The pair walked all around the Junes office supplies department. Yukiko was sizing up different notebooks, pens, binders, and other such study apparatus with Michael in tow. Michael, however, was ill at ease. He frequently found himself glancing over his shoulder and scanning the crowds. Yukiko began to notice his singular behavior.  
"Are you okay, Michael-kun?" She asked.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," Michael lied.  
"You seem a little jumpy."  
"Just browsing."  
Yukiko looked unconvinced.  
"You never did tell me what happened here the other day, about that 'old friend' you saw."  
Michael swallowed hard.  
"Just thought I saw someone from the basketball team."  
"Was it Kou?"  
"No."  
Yukiko giggled, "Michael-kun, Kou is the only person, aside from Narukami, on the basketball team who you like. So who was it really?"  
Michael sighed, "I just thought I saw one of the folks who I had to throw out at the inn. Dojima-san asked me to be on the lookout for them, thought they may have had something to do with our 'incident'."  
Yukiko's face suddenly darkened with concern.  
"...and was it one of them?" She asked slowly.  
Michael thumbed the side of his nose and cleared his throat.  
"Nope, I was mistaken," he lied again.  
Yukiko breathed a sigh of relief.  
"See, then there's no reason for you to be so on edge," she said.  
Michael managed a smile, "I reckon you're right."  
When she turned away, he frowned.  
 _If she thinks she has a stalker, she'll be living in fear. Every shadow will be him. I won't her live that way,_ Michael thought with strong resolve.

They sat down at a small two-person table in the Junes food court to rest and take inventory of Yukiko's acquisitions.  
"Ummm, notebooks, three colors of pens, a loose-leaf binder, labels..." Yukiko recited the contents of her bag, "Oh, and then the furniture department later to look at the desks. Oh, and the lamps..."  
Michael's back ached at the thought of having to carry a desk back to the inn.  
"If I was a betting man, I would say you're overhauling your study space," Michael observed.  
"Boy howdy!" She giggled.  
Yukiko had taken a liking to mimicking Michael's American colloquialisms, this one, however, she seemed to say with more genuine vigor than friendly teasing.  
"I'm thinking of seriously studying for a job license, although I haven't decided on which one I'm going to pursue," she explained.  
"Is interior decorator still in the running?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko seemed pleased he remembered the details of their previous conversation.  
"Yes, but I don't want to limit myself. I think I'm going to try for all of the ones that I feel I can realistically earn. Plus, thanks to our translating job, I have quite a bit of extra spending money."  
"Or investment money, depending on how you look at it," Michael said with a smirk before putting the straw of his drink between his lips.  
Michael's face hardened as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye approaching them. His hand was immediately shoved into his pocket, gripping the knife that dwell within. His pulse began to quicken as three men approached their table. Yukiko noticed them too.  
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the manager of the Amagi Inn, or should I say the manager-to-be," said a suited man, the apparent leader of the trio.  
The suit looked at Michael and smirked, "Ah, and her sheriff. Taking him for a walk or something?"  
His lackeys snickered.  
"Speaking of, you should do something about your two mutts. Ugly as they are, I'd shave their asses and teach them to walk backwards," Michael quipped.  
Their snickering stopped, but the suit ignored the remark.  
"...I see you haven't gone home yet," Yukiko said coldly.  
"Well, we can't very well go anywhere until the next inter-city bus or train departs. This really is the boonies. Stuck here with nothing to do, man, the countryside is the dumps." The suit replied bitterly.  
 _Prick,_ Michael observed.  
"...I beg to differ," Yukiko rebutted, her icy stare never leaving her eyes.  
The suit laughed, "So turning down sweet deals is part of country life too, is it? Real smart move."  
Yukiko glared at the smug suit in silence. That is, until Michael broke it.  
"You wouldn't happen to know the difference between an asshole and an anus, would you?" Michael asked the suit.  
The suit narrowed his eyes, "What?"  
A smirk slowly came over Michael's face, "An anus can't say 'Real smart move'."  
The suit and his cohorts glared at Michael, the latter taking a few steps forward.  
Without breaking eye contact, Michael nonchalantly brought the folded pocket knife out of his pocket and set it on the table without a word.  
The two toadies stopped and glanced at each other nervously.  
"Pft, what a hick. Let's go." The suit turned on his heel and marched back into the crowd, his lackeys close behind.  
Yukiko's shoulder relaxed and the ice in her eyes melted.  
"...I'm so sorry," she sighed.  
"Don't be. Who are those scumbags, anyway?" Michael asked, placing the knife back in his pocket.  
"They're from some TV station, they wanted to cover the Amagi Inn."  
"I take it there's more to it than that," Michael said, occasionally scanning the crowd.  
Yukiko nodded slowly, "It's one of those 'weird news' shows, it's not real journalism."  
 _Unethical media, what a surprise,_ Michael thought bitterly.  
Yukiko took a breath and continued, "Ever since Ms. Yamano's murder, the inn has been associated with bad luck. This particular TV program wanted to run a special called, 'Hot Springs Getting Too Hot For The Amagis!?' The title was abhorrent, so my parents turned them away."  
Michael's passive scowl grew more pronounced, "Why didn't I know about this?"  
"They left peacefully so there was no need to call upon you. Sure, they tried to argue the point, but left when asked all the same."  
Then, Yukiko's look became more solemn, "But...maybe we shouldn't have declined."  
"Why would you say that? They would make your ancestral home and business out to be a freak show." Michael said.  
"I know, but then the bad reputation about the inn would spread. We'd lose our customers and the inn's doors would close for good. Maybe then," she looked off to the side, "I wouldn't feel bad about leaving."  
Michael's eyes widened and his mouth hung agape.  
 _I can't believe what I'm hearing,_ he thought. To his despair, for the first time in their friendship, he felt a spark of anger toward Yukiko.  
Yukiko had been averting his gaze, but finally glanced at him from the corner of her eye.  
"...You think ill of me."  
Michael took a deep breath.  
"My thoughts are irrelevant, this isn't my place to have them," he replied evasively, but bitterly.  
"I thought I could get a straight honest answer out of you," she muttered.  
Michael sat at attention and looked her in the eye, "You want my honest answer?"  
She nodded slowly.  
Michael paused for a moment to quench the anger inside him before answering.  
"I think that you are suggesting sabotaging your parents' livelihood just to make your difficult decisions easy. Knowing you like I do, I doubt that was your intention, especially since you have the capability to leave without such drastic measures."  
There was silence between them until finally, Yukiko looked up at him with a small smile.  
"You're right, saying things like that, wishing things like that, there's no point to it. I'm leaving under my own power, my life is in my own hands now," she said confidently.  
Michael returned her smile.  
"I want to help everyone, too. Especially you, for being such a patient listener all the time, amongst other things."  
"Your affection is its own reward," Michael replied warmly.  
Yukiko flushed.  
"W-Well, I think we've sat around here long enough. Shall we get back to shopping?" Yukiko said, rising from her seat.  
"We shall," Michael replied, taking up her flank.  
Suddenly, Yukiko began giggling.  
"What's so funny?" Michael asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"You really let those guys have it," she said, her giggling increasing.  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "If you say so."  
Yukiko's giggling began to evolve into full-blown laughing.  
 _By thunder, here we go,_ Michael thought, but he began to smile. He always did when she was like this, he couldn't help it. _  
_"Can you...can you teach the one about the...dog...shaved butt...backwards..." She managed in between gasps of air.  
Michael smiled wryly, "I suppose, just don't say it around your mother."


	21. May 16th

May 16th

The clock struck midnight and the evening of May 15th turned to the morning of May 16th. Michael looked outside his window at the downpour that spattered against the glass. Satisfied the conditions for viewing the Midnight Channel were met, he redirected his attention to the blank TV screen.  
"Do you see anything yet?" Yukiko asked over the phone.  
Michael was about to respond when suddenly the TV produced a staticy image. Michael leaned in to get a closer look.  
"You seeing this?" He asked into the phone receiver.  
The image showed the silhouette of a tall, slim, male individual. He had slicked back hair and wore some sort of coat over his shoulders. Michael could not make out facial features or clothing designs. Then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the image vanished.  
"That looked like it was a boy," Yukiko observed.  
"Aye, I think I recognize him from school," Michael replied.  
"You do?!" Yukiko asked, surprised.  
"Yeah, remember that guy who was on the news special? Kanji Tatsumi, I think his name was."  
"Kanji-kun? Are you sur- oh, hold on. Chie is calling me on the other line," Yukiko said.  
Michael's phone gave a call waiting notification as well.  
"Yosuke and Narukami are adding me to a group call on mine. Let's see if they reached the same conclusions."  
The two hung up and switched over to their waiting calls.  
"Michael speaking."  
"Dude, you saw the Midnight Channel, right?" Yosuke asked hastily.  
"I did. Did that figure remind you fellas of anyone?" Michael asked.  
"Kanji Tatsumi." Narukami answered.  
"Bullseye."  
"But that means our theory that all the targets are women has gone out the window," Yosuke groaned.  
"It's getting too late to be discussing this stuff, we should meet up after school when we have a fresh head," Narukami suggested.  
"Sounds good to me," Michael agreed.  
"Hey, wait, before you guys go, I gotta ask," Yosuke said, Michael could tell by his voice that he was smiling, "What do you two REALLY think about Yukiko and Chie? Let's not mince words here, which one's your type?"  
"You've got to be kidding," Michael growled.  
"Why are you bringing this up now?" Narukami asked softly.  
"What? Just a little friendly male discussion going on here, innocent question an-" Yosuke began, but Michael hung up before he could finish and dialed Yukiko.  
"What did you find out?" She asked.  
"We all agreed that the image was saw was Kanji Tatsumi," Michael said.  
"I told that to Chie as well, she agreed."  
"We're all gonna meet up at Junes after school tomorrow to discuss it in depth."  
"Understood, I'll keep the afternoon clear."  
"Copy that. Good night, Yukiko."  
"Sweet dreams, Michael-kun."

The group settled down into their usual table at the Junes food court. Once they had all taken their seats, Yosuke banged a ruler on the table, reminiscent of a gavel.  
"Now that we have all gathered, I hereby commence this meeting of the 'Special Investigation Unit for the Inaba Serial Murders and Kidnappings'!" Yosuke announced.  
"Geez, that's long, why not just Investigation Team?" Chie groaned.  
"Is a name really necessary?" Michael said, deadpan.  
"Wow, I guess that makes this our secret headquarters," Yukiko said, genuine awe in her voice.  
Michael glanced over at her and then looked around at the numerous shoppers that surrounded them.  
 _Some secret,_ he thought.  
Yosuke seemed proud of Yukiko's enjoyment of the proceedings.  
"That's right! Yukiko is on top of this!" Yosuke said with a cheerful chuckle.  
Narukami raised his head and cleared his throat, "Moving on. About the guy who was on the Midnight Channel..."  
"You mean Kanji Tatsumi? That crazy S.O.B. has been all over the news with that biker gang special. There goes my theory about all the victims being women," Yosuke lamented.  
"And I don't think he has a connection to Ms. Yamano at all," Chie added.  
"I don't think any of us know enough about him or his family to draw that conclusion," Michael said.  
Yukiko was looking down in thought.  
"Well, I do know his mother, " she said, looking back up at the group, "he wasn't always as violent as he is now, though."  
Chie looked surprised, "Yukiko? You mean to say you actually KNOW that psychopath?"  
Yukiko nodded, "His family owns a textile shop here in town, our inn has sold and used their products for ages."  
Michael's eyes widened, "Hey, we DID stop by the Tatsumi Textile Shop on one of our errands, didn't we? I can't believe I didn't make that connection sooner."  
Yukiko nodded again, "But I haven't spoken to Kanji-kun in a super long time."  
"Well that will make this pretty easy, I say we should stop by this textile shop of his," Yosuke suggested, looking to Narukami.  
"He's right, if people we see on the Midnight Channel are being pushed into their televisions then..." Yukiko's voice trailed off, but Narukami understood.  
"I know, it means Kanji Tatsumi will be next," He said darkly.  
"Look, we definitely need to monitor Kanji and his family in the days going forward, but I don't want anyone to forget that being in the company of Yukiko and I will mean that your actions will reflect upon the Amagi Inn. The Tatsumis are ancestral suppliers, try not to ruin that," Michael cautioned, scanning the group with his scowl.  
"We'll just ask a few questions, that's all," Narukami reassured him.

The group arrived outside the old textile shop located in the shopping district. Michael noted that the architecture seemed even older than the surrounding shops and fit in very well with the nearby shrine. The group slid open the door and stepped inside. Fabrics of all shapes, sizes, and colors adorned the walls, shelves, and some mannequins. There were two occupants of the shop's reception area, an older woman who sat on her knees facing the door, who Michael assumed was the proprietor, Mrs. Tatsumi, and a customer who made Michael stop in his tracks.  
 _Little boy blue,_ he hissed condescendingly in his mind.  
Indeed, standing opposite Mrs. Tatsumi, was Naoto Shirogene. The pair turned to face the incoming group.  
"Excuse us," Yukiko said sweetly.  
"Oh, come on in, Yuki-chan," Mrs. Tatsumi replied in a gentle, welcoming tone.  
Naoto and Michael's eyes met. Michael's eyes narrowed and Naoto turned away.  
"That's all, I will be going now," Naoto said to Mrs. Tatsumi .  
"Well then, I apologize I wasn't more help to you," the latter replied.  
"Not at all, you've given me much to think about."  
"I'm glad I could help."  
With a bow Naoto turned to leave. He walked past the group and looked them over.  
"King." Naoto said respectfully.  
"Shirogene." Michael replied with a low growl.  
Narukami and Yosuke looked at the exchange with raised eyebrows, but Michael did not meet their gaze.  
"So what was that all about?" Yosuke finally asked in a hushed whisper.  
"Keep your mind on the job," Michael snapped as he approached Mrs. Tatsumi at Yukiko's side.  
"Oh Yuki-chan, you're as beautiful as ever. You remind me so much of your mother when she was your age," Mrs. Tatsumi said sweetly.  
 _Boy howdy,_ Michael thought to himself.  
"You are too nice," Yukiko replied quietly, blushing.  
"And Mikey-kun, are you still settling in all right? I must say, it warms my heart to see young men such as yourself escorting their female companions around town, it reminds me of the old days."  
Michael bowed with a smile, "It is a pleasure to see you again."  
"Um, is Kanji-kun here?" Yukiko asked her.  
"No, I'm afraid he's not back yet."  
"Oh, alright then."  
As Yukiko and Michael spoke to Mrs. Tatsumi, the other teens began to browse the textile shop.  
Narukami looked over a display of hand-knit scarves when suddenly, his eyes fell on one in particular. He beckoned Yosuke and Chie over.  
"This scarf looks familiar to me, what about you guys?" he asked.  
By this time, the gathering attracted Yukiko and Michael's attention as well.  
Chie's eyes widened.  
"You're right, we saw it in that room, in the TV!" She exclaimed.  
Michael grew nervous as Mrs. Tatsumi tilted her head.  
"In the TV?" She repeated, confused.  
"She meant ON the TV," Michael laughed nervously before giving Chie a severe look.  
Chie winced.  
"A-Anyway," she went on, her voice quieter, " It was that room where all those faceless posters were."  
"That must've been before our time," Yukiko observed, referring to herself and Michael.  
Yosuke nodded, "It was in the room where Ms. Yamano was..." He cleared his throat nervously.  
They all knew what he meant.  
Apparently, Mrs. Tatsumi heard the mention of Ms. Yamano and spoke up.  
"Ah yes, that scarf did belong to Ms. Yamano. Are you friends of hers?" She asked.  
"Not friends exactly..." Yosuke said, rubbing the back of his neck.  
"I saw a similar design amongst the belongings the police had carried out of her room at the inn," Michael lied.  
Mrs. Tatsumi seemed to accept this reasoning.  
"Good eye, Ms. Yamano had two of them custom made for her, but she only ever picked up one of them," she explained.  
The group thought for a moment.  
"Excuse me, delivery!" Came a voice from the back door.  
"Coming!" Mrs. Tatsumi said, rising to her feet, "I'm sorry, I really must attend to this."  
"Oh no, it's okay. We should be going now, anyway," Yukiko said.  
Mrs. Tatsumi smiled, "Very well, it was wonderful seeing you again, Yuki-chan, Mikey-kun, please come by again soon."  
"We will," Michael said with a bow.

The group made their way back outside, but stopped short at what they saw just across the street. Kanji Tatsumi, dressed in his all black attire had been intercepted by the azure-clad Naoto.  
"It's Kanji," Narukami observed.  
"Oh shit, hide!"Yosuke cried, running to cover behind a mail box. For some reason, everyone followed him. Everyone, that is, but Michael.  
"Dude, get down!" Yosuke hissed when he noticed Michael still standing there.  
Instead, Michael nonchalantly pulled out his phone and began speaking into it despite not having anyone on the other end of the line. For good measure, he withdrew his Teddie glasses from where they hung from his collar and put them on, the tinted frames obfuscating his gaze. He turned to face the textile shop's window and studied the exchange behind him within its reflection.  
"What does he think he's-" Yosuke began before being smacked on the back of the head by Chie.  
"Shh! I can't hear what they're saying!" She hissed.  
They listened in on the singular pair's conversation.  
"You want to have a talk with me?" Kanji asked slowly.  
Naoto nodded, "That's right, I find you incredibly intriguing."  
"Uh, well I guess that's cool," Kanji said, averting Naoto's gaze.  
"I'm glad to hear it. I'll be waiting for you after school tomorrow."  
With that, Naoto turned on his heel and walked opposite of Kanji.  
Kanji watched him leave until Naoto was out of sight and Michael noticed he had an expression that seemed to convey fear.  
 _I wonder if Kanji has a reason to fear this 'Naoto',_ Michael thought suspiciously.  
"He...finds me intriguing? He's a dude, but he finds another dude intriguing and that other dude is me..." Kanji was saying to himself, and to Michael's surprise, Kanji was blushing.  
Michael's eyes widened.  
 _Uh oh, is this guy...,_ he began to piece together an uncomfortable theory, but suddenly, Kanji turned around.  
To everyone's dismay, he noticed the teens crouching behind the mail box.  
"Hey!" He barked.  
The teens froze in fear.  
"What are you twats looking at?!" Kanji shouted and advanced on the mail box, waving his fist in the air.  
"Oh shit, run for it!" Yosuke cried.  
The group sprang from their hiding place and ran off. Michael eyed Kanji to see if he would give chase, but to his relief, he did not.  
"Tch, what was their problem?" Kanji muttered before turning to go toward the textile shop.  
Michael continued his facade of talking on the phone as Kanji approached. The latter studied Michael like a predator with a whiff of its prey, but then moved on into the shop itself, closing the door behind him. Michael let out a sigh of relief, tucked his phone away once more, and returned his Teddie glasses to their usual place.  
 _Now I wonder where they could've gone off to,_ Michael thought as he whistled "Dixie" down the street in search of his routed comrades.

Michael finally caught up with the panting group who had hidden themselves among the trees surrounding the derelict shopping district shrine. He could not help but approach with a smug grin.  
"Got your fair share of cardio in?" he asked.  
"Not...cool...man..." Yosuke said in between his panting.  
"Why didn't he chase you?!" Chie challenged.  
Michael shrugged, "Believe it or not, most societies find hiding behind mail boxes, or anything else for that matter, to be very singular and even suspicious behavior."  
"I'll have to remember that next time," Narukami said earnestly.  
Chie stretched her back, "Man, was that close though."  
"Shame we could barely hear what they were talking about, " Narukami lamented.  
"Well, I heard they were planning to meet up after school tomorrow," Michael offered.  
"Yeah, I heard something like that too," Yukiko confirmed.  
Yosuke finally caught his breath and straightened his stance.  
"Okay, so we found the connection to Ms. Yamano. Now I think we need to put surveillance on Kanji and the textile shop," he suggested.  
"Yeah, good idea. If we're right, then the killer does have their sights set on Kanji next, then they'll either approach him directly or go to his house and try taking him out there," Narukami agreed.  
"Cool! So, first things first," Yosuke said, pulling his cell phone out from his back pocket, "Yukiko, I'm gonna need your cell phone number."  
Michael immediately felt a rage and his fists clenched. Chie seemed disgruntled as well.  
"What?! Is THAT what you were angling for?!" She cried.  
"Chill out will ya? Geez, I'm gonna need it for the mission, that's all," Yosuke said dismissively.  
"Our mission, or yours?" Michael growled.  
Chie nodded, "Good question. By the way, since we're on the subject, quit calling to tell me dirty jokes late at night. It's totally pervy and creepy."  
"This isn't about you right now!" He snapped before turning back to Yukiko with a smile, "So come on, let's get those digits."  
Yukiko had been looking down in thought the whole time. Suddenly, something dawned on her.  
"Oh! Michael-kun, I just remembered, we needed to buy some tofu right?"  
 _She didn't hear a single word he said,_ Michael thought to himself, thoroughly amused.  
Chie snickered with a smug grin on her face at Yosuke's most recent rejection.  
"Yeah, we do. Kanji went back inside the shop, so we should be able to get to Marukyu Tofu unmolested."  
Michael looked over at Yosuke, "Something wrong? I could've sworn I heard your crest falling," he quipped.  
Yosuke was still staring at Yukiko, defeated and dumbfounded, "Incredible, she didn't hear a single word I said..." he said to himself, "not a single word..."  
Yukiko glanced back and forth between them with a confused look, "Did I miss something?" she asked innocently.  
"Nothing important. Let's get going."


	22. May 17th

May 17th

After school, Narukami, Michael, Yukiko, and Chie stood just outside the gates to the campus of Yasogami High. Yosuke had, in his words, 'gone to perform recon on the target'.  
"He's been gone an awful long time," Michael said, looking back at the school.  
"He's fine, probably just needed to pee," Chie said in disgust.  
"Hey, here he comes," Narukami said.  
Sure enough, Yosuke came trotting out from the school's front doors to where the rest of the group was huddled.  
"Confirmed location of target, Kanji Tatsumi. Target is currently in men's room, first floor. Target is fixing his hair!" Yosuke whispered urgently, throwing his back against the wall and peeking around the corner at the school front door.  
"What are you doing...?" Michael asked slowly.  
"Do we have a visual?" Chie asked, in just as urgent a tone.  
"Negative, needed to disengage before target had a chance to bully me," Yosuke replied.  
Michael looked over at Yukiko, "Do they act like that often?"  
Yukiko shrugged.  
"Confirmed visual!" Yosuke exclaimed.  
Sure enough, Kanji Tatsumi emerged from the front door. A look of what could only be described as a scowl of determined apathy permeated his face. He stopped just outside the school gates and glanced at the time on his phone. A few moments later, the little blue boy Naoto rounded the corner and stepped up the hill leading toward the school.  
"There he is!" Yukiko whispered.  
Michael immediately turned around the corner and hid himself from Naoto's view.  
"I'm sorry, were you waiting long?" Naoto asked Kanji.  
Kanji looked off to the side, "Nah, it's cool, I just got here myself."  
Naoto beckoned Kanji to follow him and the two made their way back down the incline toward the street proper. The Investigation Team broke up their tight huddle and watched the two leave.  
"Hey, where did Michael go?" Yukiko asked, looking side to side.  
"I'm here," Michael announced, popping out from behind the wall.  
"You always act weird when that kid shows up, what's up with that?" Yosuke asked.  
"Met him through work, now can we focus?"  
Chie tilted her head, "Something is kinda off about that kid and Kanji."  
"Really? What's that?" Yosuke asked.  
Chie cupped her chin in her hand, "I don't know, maybe it's just my imagination running wild."  
Yosuke shrugged, "Whatever," he turned to Narukami, "Chie and I will follow Kanji, why don't you three keep an eye on the textile shop?"  
Chie turned on him, "What?! Why you and me?!"  
"Sounds good to me," Narukami said.  
Yosuke nodded and turned to Chie, "Let's go!" With that, he took off down the street.  
"Hey, wait up!" Chie called after him.  
Narukami, Michael, and Yukiko remained behind. Narukami turned to face the latter two.  
"So it's us watching the shop then?"  
"I guess it is," Yukiko replied softly.  
Michael shook his head, "I stand out too much for a stakeout in the middle of a shopping district. I'll take up a position at the neighboring shrine. I'll be within range to assist you two while remaining out of sight."  
Narukami nodded.  
"Well, we better get going," He said, beckoning them to follow him.  
"Right behind you, skipper."

Michael sat on the steps leading up to the shrine's altar and donation box, facing the footpath toward the shopping district. He held a bag in his hand containing the crumbs of stale croquettes, a courtesy of the amicable owner of a small outdoor restaurant called Souzai Daigaku located just across the street. Michael threw a few crumbs on the ground and watched with a small smile as a flock of birds dove on the meal. He glanced up every few moments from his charitable vigil to view Narukami and Yukiko who were within his field of vision and stood beside of the shrine's archway's supports. He noticed Yukiko was standing with her body turned facing away from Narukami and the latter never took his eyes off the front of the textile shop.  
 _Boy, do they look uncomfortable. Note to self: Make sure the next stakeout is not co-ed,_ Michael observed.  
He was startled from this thoughts when his phone's text message alert went off.  
"Incoming transmission!" Announced the robotic voice.  
He chuckled as the birds he had been feeding fluttered a few feet away in surprise of the disembodied voice.  
He pulled out the phone and examined the screen. It was from Yukiko. He looked up at the little red-clad figure standing just at the end of the footpath. She returned his glance, still holding her phone.  
Michael sighed, but against his better judgment, he was delighted.

 **Yuki: Hey  
Michael: You alright?  
Yuki: Why do you ask?  
Michael: You seem a little on edge.  
Yuki: Is it really that obvious, even from where you're sitting?  
Michael: You don't have to be. If the killer makes an appearance, we'll back each other up.  
Yuki: It's not really that. It's just awkward standing here with Narukami, I know he saved our lives, but I barely know him.  
Michael: You were that way with me once too, you know, and I hadn't saved your life.  
Yuki: You hadn't at that time, anyway.  
Michael: I told you, you saved yourself.  
**There was a pause. **  
Yuki: Can I tell you something?  
Michael: I insist.  
Yuki: I think I told you I've never been alone with a boy my own age before.  
Michael: You did.  
Yuki: Chie always had lots of guy friends though, because of her personality. I think she's really been enjoying hanging out with you, Narukami, and Yosuke.  
Michael: I'm glad she's enjoying herself, but what about you?  
Yuki: I enjoy your company very much.  
**Michael paused and looked up at the distant figure. To his dismay, he could not read her features.  
 _'Your' company? What did she mean by that? My company specifically, or us guys'?_ Michael wondered.  
 _Don't start this again, you-_ His thoughts were cut off from a noise behind him.  
He spun around and found himself facing a kindly-looking old man.  
"Good afternoon, I'm sorry if I startled you," The old man said, shuffling toward Michael.  
"Good afternoon. I was just a little lost in thought," Michael replied, putting his phone away.  
The old man placed both hands upon his cane and looked at the collection of birds that Michael had attracted.  
"This shrine used to be so beautiful," the old man said, nostalgia in his voice.  
"Still is," Michael replied with a shrug.  
"This shrine is home to some of the strongest, oldest trees in the nation. However," the old man made a sweeping gesture across the planter beds which were speckled with weeds and litter, "the city has decided they would only do any real maintenance of this place if it is chosen to be a venue for a local festival. I'd do it myself, but my legs are so crippled up I can barely walk."  
"That's a shame. This shrine has a great spiritual significance, that's one aspect of society we can't be cutting back on," Michael said wistfully. **  
**The old man studied him, "You're an American, aren't you?"  
Michael nodded and threw another pinch of crumbs into the flocks of waiting fowl, "That's right."  
"And you visit a Shinto shrine?"  
"When in Rome."  
The old man chuckled, "You have a point. I'm sorry this place is in such a sad state, it must not give a very good impression."  
"A place of worship does not make its congregation, a congregation makes its place of worship," Michael replied matter-of-factly.  
The old man raised an eyebrow, "And are you part of this place's congregation?"  
Michael nodded toward the flock of birds still pecking away at his latest offering, "If they'll have me."  
The old man chuckled, "Well, I've taken up enough of your time. I'll be heading home. If you find yourself in the situation, can you do me a favor?"  
"I can."  
"If you see a city worker, can you mention this place to them? I'm sure they could at least come and pick up the trash."  
A thought occurred to Michael and after a short pause, nodded with a knowing smile, "I'll do that."  
The old man gave a small bow and slowly shuffled his way down the footpath. Michael looked on after him and noticed Yukiko and Narukami were actually talking. Yukiko had reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.  
 _Oh, that's right, I didn't text her back,_ Michael thought to himself and pulled out his phone to do just that, but when he looked up once more, Narukami pulled out his phone as well and held it up to Yukiko's.  
 _They're exchanging phone numbers,_ Michael concluded.  
To his surprise, he felt a sinking feeling in his gut that seemed to pull the corners of his mouth down with it.  
 _Focus on the mission,_ Michael scolded himself.  
Suddenly, he was stirred by an audible thud beside him. He turned and scrambled back at what he saw. Just a few yards away, a fox sat on its haunches.  
"A fox?" Michael muttered to himself in disbelief.  
The fox had a piercing gaze, its right eye sported a long scar and around its neck hung a small red apron.  
 _This has gotta be someone's pet, right?  
_ Michael slowly righted himself and returned the fox's gaze.  
In an instant, the fox's ears perked up and its head snapped over to face the street. Michael, instinctively, did the same.  
 _There's nothing there.  
_ He turned back to where the fox was standing, but it had vanished.  
He rose to his feet to look for it, but heard what caught the fox's attention. Somewhere on the street, came a distant yelling.  
 _Yukiko!_ He thought in a panic.  
He did not stop to verify his concern, his feet were already charging down the footpath to where Narukami and Yukiko were standing.  
Yukiko turned to face the alert Michael, "Did you hear that scream too?"  
Michael nodded, "I thought it was you, thank God..." he wheezed that was partially a sigh of relief.  
"It came from that way," Narukami said, facing up the street.  
The trio observed two panic-stricken, running figures emerge over the horizon. The inarticulate yelling grew louder.  
"Is that who I think it is?" Michael asked.  
As the figures became distinguishable, they could tell it was Chie and Yosuke.  
"Sorry dude, but we brought trouble!" Yosuke shouted.  
"Yukiko I'm sorry!" Chie added loudly.  
The pair sprinted past them at such a pace that leaves in the gutter flew a few inches in the air from the draft.  
"He's behind them?" Yukiko asked in surprise.  
"We should run." Narukami affirmed.  
"Why are we-" Michael began, but Yukiko grabbed his arm and pulled him with her.  
"Wait, dammit! I said to wait up!" Kanji's voice roared behind them, "You are dead, you are so freakin' dead!"  
"Aw crap, he's gonna get us all at this rate!" Yosuke cried and turned his head to Chie, "Hey Chie, time for you to shake him off our tail!"  
Chie looked at him in shock, "Huh, why me?!"  
"You know that line in the movies, 'you guys keep going, I'll handle this guy'? Well, now's your chance to say it!"  
Chie's face showed she was considering this, "You have a point..."  
"Chie! Don't let him trick you!" Yukiko scolded.  
"Less talking, more running!" Michael barked.  
"I said to stop running, dammit!" Kanji's voice came again, closer this time.  
Out of nowhere, the engine of a scooter became audible from around the corner of an intersection they had passed and sped by their pursuer.  
"The Hell?!" Kanji said, dumbfounded.  
Michael glanced behind him for a moment and noticed the scooter bore the Aiya Diner insignia on it. It's rider was none other than Aika, the diner owner's daughter. Aika pulled her scooter alongside the fleeing Investigation Team.  
"I got your order here," she announced.  
"How the Hell did you find us, we're nowhere near where we placed that order!" Yosuke shouted.  
"You two placed a delivery order on a stake out?!" Michael asked, incredulously.  
"I was hungry, okay?!" Chie said defensively.  
Aika seemed to ignore the banter, "your total is sixteen hundred yen," she said, extending a tray.  
"This is so weird!" Yosuke cried.  
Chie dug through the pocket of her skirt, "I'm sorry, do you have change?"  
"Are you seriously doing this?!"  
Yukiko pulled out her coin purse and rummaged through it, "Chie, I've got a hundred yen here you can borrow," she offered sweetly.  
"Save it for later!" Yosuke snapped.  
Chie took the money and passed it to Aika who handed her the tray, "When you're done, just leave the bowls." With that, Aika sped off.  
"Where the Hell do we do that?!" Yosuke protested.  
"How are you going to run with that tray in your hands?" Narukami asked.  
The two bowls bounced around on the tray in Chie's hands, threatening to slide off at any second. This singular distraction had allowed Kanji to gain even more ground on them.  
"I've had enough of this," Michael growled through clenched teeth.  
He spun around and skidded to a stop, facing their pursuer.  
"Michael?! Are you nuts?!" Yosuke cried.  
"Michael-kun!" Yukiko wailed.  
Michael's scowl looked chiseled into his face and he shoved a shaky hand into his pocket. Kanji made no sign of slowing down. When the latter was just a few feet away from the former's face, Michael struck.  
"Pocket bread!" Michael shouted.  
With a flourish, Michael pulled his hand out of his pocket and a cloud of crumbs found their mark in Kanji's eyes.  
"Gah! What the Hell is this shit?!" Kanji shouted tripping over himself and falling to the ground, clawing at his eyes.  
Michael did not stick around to bask in the glory of his meager victory. Like a shot, he turned back around and ran to catch up with his friends.

The team found shelter on the footpath of an underground car tunnel. All of them but Chie were leaning against the wall, making every effort to catch their breath.  
"Oh man, that was close," Yosuke panted.  
"Yeah, it was." Narukami agreed.  
"That was incredible, Michael-kun. What did you do?" Yukiko asked in awe.  
Michael winked, "Old Indian trick."  
"So you just keep a bunch of crap stuffed in your pocket in case a situation like that should pop up?" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
"Wish I could say I was that prepared, but no. I was feeding birds with those crumbs."  
"Of course you were."  
Chie had taken no interest in their conversation, for she had set herself and the tray of food down a few feet away from them, sank to her knees, and dug in.  
"Chie, is it good?" Yukiko asked.  
Chie slurped the soup with cheerful gusto.  
"Yeah it is, it's delicious!"  
"How can you eat after a workout like that? My stomach's doing somersaults." Michael said, placing a hand on his gut and turning to Yosuke, "And aren't you gonna eat yours?"  
Yosuke made a dismissive gesture, "Dude, she ordered both of those for herself."  
Michael hooked his thumbs behind his belt buckle, "I should've known.  
After a moment, Yosuke pushed himself off the wall and gave a grunt of frustration.  
"Man, this sucks, we totally failed on our first mission! We may as well give up," Yosuke groaned.  
At this comment, the happy relief of safety that Michael once felt was quickly replaced by anger.  
"While it's true that I can't presently think of a single blunder that we have omitted over the course of the past few hours, this was our first real shot at this. We are the only ones who have the power to protect Kanji, we are obligated to try our hardest to do so!" Michael lectured, the seething rage pounded harder in his forehead with each word.  
"Yeah, what about Kanji-kun? He doesn't know he's in danger," Yukiko urged.  
Yosuke gave an exasperated sigh, "That dude can take care of himself, there's no way anyone's gonna take him down without a serious fight on their hands."  
"We should still at least keep an eye on him," Narukami rebutted.  
Yosuke shrugged, "Yeah, whatever. But I'm done for today." With that, he marched off.  
"Can't say I agree with your deputy," Michael said, turning to Narukami with a severe look.  
"He's just irritated. He'll be fine tomorrow. Let's just all get back home, watch the Midnight Channel, and get a good rest," Narukami said softly.  
"Hey, uh, guys?" Chie said.  
The three turned to face her.  
"Where should I leave these bowls?"


	23. May 18th (Part 1)

**A/N: Hello loyal readers and newcomers! I just wanted to notify you all that there will likely be increased delays between chapters for awhile. I purchased Persona 5 and it has been eating up a lot of my focus recently (although Persona 4's cast is still the best :P) So please stay tuned!**

May 18th

Michael pulled the curtains away from his window to inspect the exterior of the inn. The rain had come on suddenly and left droplets upon the glass that slowly slid down to the ground below.  
"Almost midnight," he said into the phone.  
"Do you think we'll see him?" Yukiko's voice came from the other end.  
"Very likely. Let's just hope he isn't inside yet."  
Michael sat back down in front of the television set.  
"So, you and Narukami wind up getting along today?" he asked.  
"Oh, yes, we did. I'm so sorry for texting you, that must've been weird."  
Michael smiled, "No, not at all. It's always nice seeing your name on my phone."  
There was a pause.  
"What is my name in your phone? J-Just curious," Yukiko asked quickly.  
"Yuki."  
"Oh, I see."  
Another pause. A clap of thunder boomed and moments later lightning flashed through the spaces between the curtains.  
"Do you know what my name means, Michael-kun?" Yukiko asked.  
"No, I don't."  
"Roughly translated, it means snow child."  
"That's beautiful," Michael replied.  
He heard her sigh, "I don't know. I never really liked it. Snow is so fleeting, so bland. It just melts away once it comes under a little heat."  
"That's one way of interpreting it," Michael said, "but that's not how I would see it."  
"How do you see it, then?"  
Michael shifted and thought about his phrasing carefully.  
"Snow brings so much joy. The moment I see those white flakes dancing around in the air, I feel at peace, like nothing else really matters but those little flakes. Many people come from a long ways away just to spend their day with the snow."  
"Michael-kun..." He heard her voice quiver.  
Michael's face reddened and he thanked God she could not see it, "Sorry, I got a little carried away there."  
"No, don't apologize. I think I..." she began to reply, but stopped.  
Michael's TV came to life, the Midnight Channel was live.  
"It's on," he said.  
"It's on for me too," she replied.  
The image began to clear and Michael could make out the steamy setting of a traditional Japanese bathhouse.  
"I am so hot, I am on fire!" A voice came from the set.  
Suddenly, Kanji Tatsumi was in full view and was almost completely nude, wearing nothing but a loin cloth.  
"You know I got a smokin' hot body, whatever shall I do with it?" The blushing Kanji lisped, hugging himself tightly.  
"M-Michael-kun?" Came Yukiko's scared voice.  
Michael could not answer. There was no words in his vocabulary to describe what he was witnessing. Instinctively, he turned away from the screen.  
"Mmm, think of all the dirty things that could happen to me in here. My love is boiling, I just wanna groove and shake my tushy! Here I go~" The Shadow Kanji pranced off down the hall of the bathhouse until the steam obfuscated his silhouette.  
The image slowly faded and the TV turned off once more. There was a long period of silence.  
"Umm, Michael-kun?" Yukiko said meekly.  
"Yeah, I'm here." Michael grunted.  
"Did you see Kanji-kun..."  
"More of him than I would've liked."

The group met up within the backside of the TV after school.  
"Amazing! We actually went inside of a television!" Yukiko exclaimed, surveying her surroundings.  
"I had already put my hand in before, but this was something else," Michael added.  
The platform they stood on resembled a television stage, including the directional lighting and the steel mesh scaffolding all around. A macabre illustration was painted upon the floor depicting a bulls-eye with what appeared to be multiple chalk outlines of bodies. The feeling of landing on top of such a display made Michael shiver.  
"Oh that's right, this is the first time you've actually been here, huh? At least on your own free will," Chie observed.  
"It's so foggy though..." Yukiko said.  
Teddie perked up and reached onto one of the pockets on his suit, "Oh right, I forgot to give you a real pair, didn't I? Here you are!"  
Teddie extended a paw that held a set of red wireframe glasses. She slid them on and her expression brightened up in wonder.  
"Wow, it's like the fog is completely gone!"  
Michael looked over at Teddie, "Out of curiosity, can you just naturally see through the fog?"  
Teddie seemed pleased by the question, "I am bear-y glad you asked! You see, the eyes on my suit are actually lenses."  
Michael nodded, "Ingenuity, well done."  
Teddie smiled, "Thank you bear-y much! I take pride in these!"  
Yosuke stepped in between the pair, "Blah blah blah. So Teddie, can you smell anyone in here?"  
Teddie scratched his head, "I think so."  
"You think so?"  
"I can definitely smell someone in here, but I can't tell where they are." Teddie said, clearly distressed.  
Yosuke crossed his arms, "Oh come on. His name is Kanji Tatsumi, big scary guy."  
Teddie shook his head, "I can't tell who it is, for the life of me I can't figure any of the details out!"  
"Well why can't you?!" Yosuke snapped, clearly becoming more exasperated.  
"I can only imagine it's because I have so bear-y much on my mind! Where do I come from? Why am I here? It's tearing me up inside!" Teddie cried, shaking his head harder.  
"Dude, you're hollow inside," Yosuke scoffed.  
Michael spit out the corner of his mouth, "By thunder, lay off of him, Yosuke. I don't see you giving us any leads," he snapped.  
Yosuke winced.  
"What are we supposed to do now? If Teddie can't find him, we're totally screwed," Chie said.  
"Well then maybe we should call it quits for this time, what do you all say?" Yosuke said, laughing nervously.  
"Hey! Quitting is not an option!" Chie shouted at him.  
"...hm, maybe..." Narukami began.  
"Oh God, not you too! We gotta stick together on this!"  
"B-but Kanji-kun..." Yukiko said softly.  
Michael's face began to contort with the sudden build-up of rage and his hand began viciously tapping the side of his leg.  
"Look, after I what I saw on the Midnight Channel I'm not particularly keen on chasing down some fruity fella into a men's only bathhouse located somewhere in a boil on the ass-end of Hell either, but there's more at stake in this than just Kanji's life. We need his testimony to put us on track to whoever is running this freak show." Michael lectured, glaring at his two fellow males.  
Yosuke winced.  
"Yeah, you're right..." he sighed.  
Narukami nodded in acquiescence.  
Teddie suddenly perked up.  
"I have an idea," he announced, "if you can bring me details about Kanji or maybe a belonging of his with his scent on it, I may be able to pick up the scent that way!"  
"And you're sure that will work?" Narukami asked.  
Teddie nodded, "Almost positive."  
Narukami faced the rest of the group, "Okay, we should head to Kanji's house at the textile shop. There's gotta be something of his there."  
"But what would be a good excuse to get our hands on it?" Michael asked.  
"We'll figure that out when we get there. Besides, his mother will know more about Kanji than anyone else, she may give us the details we need for Teddie." Yosuke replied.  
Michael thought for a moment, then nodded.  
"Very well, but we should be careful. If the police catch wind of this, it won't take long for them to connect the dots with you three," Michael said, referring to Chie, Narukami, and Yosuke.  
"What do you mean?" Chie asked.  
"Think about it. Yukiko and I go missing, suddenly you show up with us in tow. Kanji goes missing, and you turn up asking about him? If we're gonna be interfacing one-on-one with people of interest, we gotta be subtle about it," Michael explained.  
Chie sighed, "Oh man, I didn't think about that."  
"Has anyone mentioned anything about us?" Narukami asked.  
Michael sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "...Detective Adachi tried to follow me a few days ago."  
"Wait, seriously?!" Yosuke cried in surprise.  
"My uncle's partner?" Narukami asked.  
Michael nodded, "Not only that, but you know that boy in blue that Kanji met up with?"  
"Yeah, you two seemed to know each other," Narukami observed.  
Michael hooked his thumbs behind his belt buckle.  
"We know OF each other. I had intercepted him when he tried to gain entry into Ms. Yamano's old room at the inn."  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "That boy tried to break into one of our rooms? Why didn't you say anything about this?"  
"Upon conversing with him, I determined he was not a physical threat. He had made no attempt to conceal his presence from the inn staff, including myself. He simply asked to be let in to the room on 'official business', a request I declined without proof of such and instructed him to leave. Which, to his credit, he did so peacefully after questioning me about my arrival coinciding with the beginning of the slayings. As for why I didn't tell you, Yukiko..." he paused for a moment and lowered his voice, "...I did not wish to worry you or your mother unless absolutely necessary. Your health had just stabilized within acceptable parameters, pointless stress was risky."  
Yukiko looked down at the toes of her shoes.  
"Your concern is touching, but you have to trust that I can handle things like this. We're in this together now," she said softly.  
"She's right. I know you had your reasons, but if this was related to the case, you should have shared it with me at least," Narukami said.  
"I will endeavor to do so in the future," Michael replied, clearly humbled by the soft rebuke.  
"Well, now we know! This will make it easier going forward, right?" Chie said in an upbeat tone, lightening the mood.  
"Here's hoping," Yosuke replied.  
"Okay, let's get to the textile shop!"

"I'm sorry, Kanji hasn't come home since yesterday. I have notified the police as a precaution since it's been so dangerous around here lately," Mrs. Tatsumi explained.  
"I understand why you're so worried. I'm sure he'll come back soon," Yukiko said soothingly.  
"I will make a few rounds around the neighborhood, see if there's anything the police have missed," Michael lied.  
 _A white lie here or there can't hurt, especially in a case like this,_ Michael thought to himself.  
Mrs. Tatsumi smiled a tired smile, "Thank you both for your kind words and actions. It's normal for Kanji to go off without saying a word to me about it, but he's always come home in a timely manner before."  
Chie put a finger on her chin in thought, "Huh, who knew. I would've thought he would be our fighting till dawn every night," she thought out loud.  
Yosuke nudged her in the ribs, "Hey, keep that to yourself. You're talking to his mother here!"  
Mrs. Tatsumi chuckled, "It's okay, dear. I admit he can be a little rough around the edges at times. I recall not too long ago that he got into a big fight with some biker kids."  
"Oh yeah, I heard about that. They say he stomped a biker gang all by himself," Yosuke said.  
Mrs. Tatsumi's face drooped, "Yes, he did. That was partially my fault though. You see, I hadn't slept for days because of all the noise their bikes were making. When Kanji found that out, it made him mad."  
The teens all looked surprised.  
"So what my uncle was saying was true, he took out an entire biker gang to help out his mother," Narukami said in awe.  
"Wow, now that is one aggressively devoted son," Yosuke added and stared at the floor as if reflecting on his own interactions with his own mother.  
"He's a damn good man, if you would pardon the language, Mrs. Tatsumi. All the more reason for us to do whatever we can to bring him home safely," Michael said earnestly, taking a moment to cast a hard glance at Yosuke.  
Suddenly, the teens were stirred by small footsteps behind them. They turned and saw a small boy standing just at the threshold of the textile shop.  
"Um, excuse me, is that big guy here today?" The boy asked, his voice shrinking under the attention.  
The teens stepped outside to meet the boy.  
"You mean the guy who lives in this place?" Narukami asked.  
The boy nodded, "That's right, he made me this."  
The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, pink, stuffed bunny.  
Michael's eyes widened, "Hey, isn't that..."  
"...the one Kanji dropped." Narukami finished.  
"See, I had borrowed my friend's cell phone strap and it had a little bunny on the end, but then the little bunny fell off the strap and I couldn't find it anywhere. So I just ran to the river and started crying when that big guy came up to me. He asked me what was wrong and I told him what happened. I started crying even more when he told me to stop because it wasn't gonna bring the bunny back. Then he asked me what it looked like and promised to make me something that looked just like it to replace the one I lost. He told me to give it to her and apologize that I lost the first one, he even offered to go with me in case I was scared. He even made this one for me so my friend and I could match!"  
Throughout the boy's explanation, he had become more and more excited to recite the details of the encounter. Every mention of what Kanji did made the boy smile even wider.  
 _Kanji's a hero to this tyke,_ Michael mused.  
"Wait, time out," Yosuke said, making a T with his hands, "you're telling me that Kanji Tatsumi made you a little plush bunny rabbit from scratch all by himself?"  
The boy nodded happily, "Yep!"  
Yukiko squatted down to be eye level with the boy, "Excuse me, may I take a look at it?" she asked sweetly.  
The boy's face reddened, "Sure!"  
Michael found his own face reddening too.  
 _Gosh, she's beautiful,_ he thought mindlessly, his seemingly permanent scowl melted from his face as he watched her examine the toy. He snapped out of it when she spoke next.  
"This is amazing, you would have no idea just by looking at it that this was handmade," Yukiko observed, letting the strap hang from her finger.  
"He's got serious talent, that's for sure. I should hire him to make a few things for some folks back home," Michael agreed.  
"And it's super cute! I really don't know how to process the idea of a guy like Kanji making this thing," Chie chimed in, thumbing the bunny's head.  
"He's a guy who will go and crush a whole gang because they made his mother lose sleep. I'm open to almost any outlandish character trait for that fella at this point," Michael replied with a shrug.  
"Man, this is so freaky. All this stuff totally destroys the image I have of him," Yosuke said.  
"Well everyone's got their thing, I guess," Narukami said with a small shrug.  
The boy's face seemed full of pride at the positive remarks regarding this clearly treasured possession.  
"Because of everything the big guy did, my friend forgave me. I wanted to come by and be sure I told him how thankful I am!"  
Yukiko squatted down to be eye level with him again, "Can I ask you a huge favor? Is it okay if I borrow this for awhile?"  
The boy tilted his head, "Sure, but why?"  
Michael was ready with a distorted truth as soon as the words left the boys lips.  
"Because Kanji has gone out of town for awhile and his mother forgot to give him some money for food. We're hoping that by showing this plush around, people will recognize it and be able to point us to where he is so we can give him the money."  
The explanation was barebones and relied heavily on the young boy's natural naivety. Luckily, it was a gamble that paid off.  
"Oh no, I hope he isn't too hungry," The boy said with concern.  
Michael smiled, "Goodness no, but we're going to keep that from happening. Thank you very much, I'm sure Kanji will appreciate it too."  
"You think so?" The boy asked, wide-eyed.  
"Boy howdy!"  
The boy nodded happily, "Yay! I'll come back when the big guy is here, please be careful with my bunny!"  
Yukiko smiled her honest smile, "I will be very careful."  
With that, the boy trotted off smiling.  
 _No matter the age, no man can resist the smile of Yukiko Amagi,_ Michael thought, a warmth in his stomach expanding.  
"Alright, let's take this back to Teddie," Narukami said.  
Michael's face suddenly froze and he went rigid.  
"Uh, something wrong, Mikey-kun?" Chie asked, tilting her head.  
"No one turn around, okay? Just keep walking as normal. Detective Adachi is up the street behind us," Michael said in a low voice.  
"What, he is?" Yosuke asked.  
"Don't. Turn." Michael snapped.  
"We're gonna have to shake him before we go inside the TV," Narukami said.  
Michael nodded, "We should take the long, crowded way. Lead on, Narukami."

The Investigation Team finally arrived back at the bustling entrance of the Junes department store.  
"I think we shook him," Yosuke said.  
"We shook him after like the first block, I doubt he was even following us," Chie said matter-of-factly.  
Yosuke was about to respond with a comeback which, Michael assumed, would be something witty like 'shut up, stupid' but something caught his eye.  
"Yo, isn't that the kid you were talking about, Michael?" Yosuke said.  
The team looked over and saw the azure figure of Naoto Shirogene standing beside the elevator doors of Junes.  
"Hey, you're right, that's the kid who met up with Kanji earlier," Chie whispered.  
Michael scowled, "So it is."  
Naoto looked up and noticed them as they approached.  
"So our paths cross again," Naoto said.  
"Yeah, what a coincidence," Yosuke said in a friendly voice.  
"I don't believe in coincidences," Michael said flatly.  
Naoto smirked, "Perhaps you're right, this isn't coincidence. I presume you are all here because Kanji-kun has apparently gone into hiding."  
"It seems he might be," Narukami said.  
"I reckon that's why you're still hanging around," Michael presumed.  
"Perhaps," Naoto said evasively.  
"Which reminds me, weren't you and Kanji hanging out together yesterday? What were you guys talking about anyway?" Yosuke asked.  
 _Subtle, dipshit,_ Michael thought, grinding his teeth.  
Naoto raised an eyebrow, "And just what do you want to know that for?"  
Yosuke seemed taken aback, "J-Just curious that's all."  
Naoto did not appear to accept this reason, forcing Michael to step in.  
"I'm looking into a matter that relates to a private party. Kanji may have been involved as a witness. It is imperative that I find him to record his statement," Michael said quickly.  
Naoto's eyes narrowed, "So you expel me from the inn and now you come seeking a favor?"  
Michael held up his hands, "I was doing my job, as I am doing now. Man to man, I'm sure you can understand my situation."  
Naoto studied him for a moment before nodding.  
"Very well, that's fair enough and since you seem to be in a hurry I'll be completely straight with you," Naoto acquiesced.  
"I would be very grateful," Michael replied respectfully.  
"When Kanji and I met up, all I did was say hi and ask him what he had been up to lately," Naoto began.  
"Oh really? Just small talk?" Chie cut in skeptically.  
Naoto shrugged, "Pretty much. Although thinking back on it..." Naoto rested his chin in his fist, "...he was acting rather strange the whole time, like that personality wasn't himself."  
"He was?" Narukami asked.  
"Yeah, and it became more pronounced as time went on so I called him out on it. I said, 'why are you acting so strange?' at that point he got really awkward and the color drained from his face."  
"That is weird, he doesn't seem like the type who cares what people think about him," Yosuke replied.  
Michael looked at him, "After all we've learned, I find it utterly incredible that you're still clinging on to your first impression of him."  
Naoto nodded, "King-san is right, you can't judge a book by its cover. He seems to be struggling on the inside and it's quite possible Kanji has some issues that we don't know about."  
"Like what issues?" Yukiko asked, tilting her head.  
"I think I have a pretty good idea," Narukami replied.  
Michael cleared his throat, "Thank you, Shirogene-san, was it? You've been a big help." He extended a hand.  
Naoto smiled and looked down slightly, accepting it.  
"It was my pleasure, I hope your search for Kanji goes well."

Teddie sniffed fervently at the little stuffed bunny.  
"Sniff, sniff," Teddie narrated.  
"Yeah dude, we know you're sniffing. God, he's like a talking dog," Yosuke groaned.  
A few moments passed before Teddie spoke up again.  
"I bear-lieve I have bear-fectly locked on to Kanji's scent!" Teddie announced.  
"Excellent work, Teddie," Michael said.  
Teddie stood up as straight as possible, "I am ready to hit the trail! Sniff! Sniff!"  
Once more, Teddie stopped to sniff the air.  
"He's kind of adorable," Michael whispered to Yukiko.  
Yukiko giggled, "Aren't his bear puns terrible?"  
"Terribly good."  
"Snrk..."  
Teddie spun around and locked on to a direction.  
"Found him! Follow the bear!" With that, Teddie was off at a trot with the Investigation Team in tow.

They found themselves outside a bathhouse built in standard Japanese architecture. A string of red lights ran around the overhangs of the building. The signs surrounding the entrance said MEN ONLY were plastered everywhere.  
"Kanji's in here?" Narukami asked, gazing at the entrance with trepidation.  
"That would make sense, his appearance on the Midnight Channel did seem to be in the interior of a bath house," Michael said.  
"This place doesn't feel like the last ones, it's all sweaty and nasty," Chie said.  
"I thought the glasses were supposed to help us see through this fog," Yukiko groaned.  
"Nah, this isn't fog. This is a bath house so that's steam," he observed, taking off his glasses to wipe off the condensation with his shirt.  
Yosuke tugged at his collar, "No wonder I'm soaked."  
Suddenly, something that sounded like a PA system cracked to life and rang out through the steam.  
"Hey there, pussycat," came a deep, lisping voice.  
"Oh you have such an amazing set of abs," came another, lighter voice.  
"There's nothing to be afraid of, just relax, kitten," the first voice replied.  
Narukami and Yosuke drew back in apparent fear.  
"Wait a second, let's seriously think about this," Yosuke stammered.  
"Absolutely! There are definitely some risks involved here," Narukami agreed hastily.  
Michael spit on the ground, "We came here to do a job, man up and do it."  
"Well hold on a moment, we should definitely assess the situation first! Are we really sure Kanji is in here?" Yosuke laughed nervously.  
Yukiko leaned over to Teddie, "Are you sure Kanji is in there?"  
"Never underestimate the sensor that lives in my nose!" Teddie said confidently.  
Chie crossed her arms and took a deep breath, "Then I guess we gotta go in there then."  
Yosuke spun around to look at her, "Look I don't think I'm totally on board with this! I could see things! Things that I can never un-see, or lose something that I don't wanna lose!" He pleaded.  
Michael slammed his fist into a wall, "I'm getting so damn tired of the constant complaining and second-guessing. Don't try to justify your weak constitutions!"  
Yosuke stared at Michael with hurt in his eyes. Before he could respond, Chie grabbed him by the ear.  
"Quit your crying, we're going in!" She snapped, dragging the pleading Yosuke through the door.  
Narukami slowly began to back up, "You know, I could go for a bite to eat."  
Michael started to advance on him with clenched fists, but stopped when Yukiko stood in his way.  
"Narukami, we have to go." She said softly but sternly.  
Narukami stopped, sighed, and nodded, "Yeah, you're right. Let's go."


	24. May 18th (Part 2)

**A/N: I apologize for the double post on this one. The first version somehow got the formatting screwed up in the Doc Manager. Part 3 will be coming soon, I'm going to try to keep boss fights to their own chapters. Anyway, enjoy!**

The team made their way into the locker room of the bathhouse. The ominous steam obfuscating their view and an unpleasant chlorine smell hung thick in the air.  
"It's so hot, this sucks. I can't believe we're actually doing this," Yosuke groaned.  
Michael opened the front of his button-up shirt and tugged on the white undershirt underneath, "We aren't dressed for the occasion, I'll give you that."  
Yosuke perked up, "I have an idea! We should totally split up! Michael, Chie, and Yukiko can march on ahead while Narukami and I can guard the entrance!"  
Narukami nodded and pumped his fist, "Excellent plan!"  
Chie turned on them with a vicious fury, "Man up! If you think I'm gonna let you two ditch us, you've got another thing coming! We're here to save Kanji because we're the only ones who can help him, so keep that in mind okay!" She ranted.  
Yosuke instinctively threw himself to safety behind Narukami's back.  
Michael smirked at the display, "You two might be a better fit in this place that you thought," he quipped.  
Yosuke's eyes widened, "W-What's that supposed to mean?!"  
Narukami ignored the remark and sighed, "Kanji does need our help..."  
"Yeah, I guess we just have to nut up a bit and save him," Yosuke admitted.  
They opened the door leading out of the locker room into the first set of baths and were greeted by the scantily-clad Shadow Kanji.  
"Oooh-la-la~!" The Shadow said, flexing his muscles, "Thank you boyth for noticing me, I'm Kanji Tatthumi," the Shadow lisped.  
"Talk about stereotypes," Michael muttered.  
Teddie looked up at him, "Stereotype of what? Do you know what all this is about, Mikey-baby?"  
Michael cleared his throat, "Yeah, I think I have a pretty good idea."  
Teddie smiled, "I figured you would! You and Sensei are so smart!"  
Narukami and Yosuke lit up with blue light as their Persona cards appeared in front of them.  
"Let's do this, Jiraiya!" Yosuke shouted as the bell-bottom-wearing frog-man appeared above him.  
"Izanagi!" Narukami shouted in turn, the black trenchcoat-wearing Persona billowed into existence, his eyes a fiery yellow behind his white metallic mask.  
The Personas readied themselves to attack, but Chie threw herself in front of them.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, just wait a sec!"  
Yosuke made a slashing motion with his hand, "Screw that! I say we just get this over with, I can't stand another second in this freaky place!"  
The Shadow Kanji hugged himself, "My, my! We are here live from the 'Tropical Paradise Suspicious'! Mmm, all thith thteam is getting my blood pumping all over the place!"  
This time, it was Chie who was bathed in blue light.  
"Tomoe!" She shouted, the muscular helmeted woman flashed into existence, spinning her staff.  
"Chie, not you too!" Teddie said as he, Michael, and Yukiko blocked their companions' path.  
"I'm sorry, but this guy really bugs," Chie replied.  
"Yeah, just a bit," Narukami added.  
The Shadow Kanji did not seem to be phased by the display of aggression, "Since everyone here is getting so hot and bothered, let's move on to our next segment!"  
Suddenly, captions appeared in front of the Shadow as if it was a TV show. The captions read, 'NO GIRLS ALLOWED! TAKE THE TABOO PLUNGE? IT'S THE STEAMY PARADISE OF LOVE!'  
"Man, this getting awkward really fast," Narukami said.  
Michael looked around at them, "Are you all really this surprised about this stuff? Back home, I couldn't go to the grocery store without running into a fella like this."  
"No wonder why you're so calm about this," Yosuke observed.  
Chie sighed, "It was this bad when we went to save Yukiko too."  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "No it wasn't! It wasn't anything like this at all!" She ranted defensively.  
Yukiko turned to the comforting assertions of Michael and began muttering an argument in her own defense. The others ignored this.  
"Who's creating these weird-ass TV show image things anyway?" Yosuke asked rhetorically.  
Shadow Kanji made another pose while flexing, "I do love getting my groove on with you, but I really must continue my search for the bump and grind. Too-da-loo!"  
With that, the Shadow pranced off deeper into the bathhouse.  
"Hey get back here!" Yosuke shouted.  
He stopped suddenly as a myriad of Shadows appeared and blocked their path.  
"Sherman, advance!" Michael shouted as his Persona card appeared in front of him.  
The Union-blue mech appeared and fired a volley from the tank turret that rested on his shoulders.  
"It was this way with my Shadow too?" Yukiko asked, her face hardening.  
"That really...really..." her voice turned to a low growl, "ticks me off!"  
She pulled a sensu from within her cardigan and held it out in front of her, causing her Persona card to hover just above it. With a flourish of the fan, the card burst and signaled the arrival of Yukiko's Persona, Konohana Sakuya.  
Sakuya unleashed a whirlwind of fire into the oncoming wave of Shadows, engulfing them in flames.  
"Ha! You're up, Jiraiya!" Yosuke said, pointing at the enemies.  
"No, wait, Yosuke!" Michael tried to warn him, but it was too late.  
Yosuke's Persona flew right into the path of the oncoming fire of Yukiko's, leaving it in no better a position than their adversaries and causing Yosuke's own clothes to begin smoldering.  
"Ow! Oh God! That's hot! Too hot! Bad idea!" Yosuke cried, trying to pat out the flames.  
Michael's Persona, Sherman, struck down a Shadow attempting to flank the team.  
"Yosuke, pay attention!" Michael managed through clenched teeth.  
"Go, Tomoe! Cool them down!" Chie commanded.  
Tomoe spun her staff, generating a small blizzard that froze the previously-burning Shadows, including Jiraiya.  
In response, Yosuke slowly began turning a bluish hue and shivered with chattering teeth, "N-now I'm f-f-freezing can't we get a little m-m-moderation here?"  
"Narukami!" Michael shouted.  
"I'm with you!" Narukami responded.  
Sherman and Izanagi teamed up and with two strong strikes from their respective swords, the frozen Shadows were shattered into shards, freeing Jiraiya.  
At the sight of their decimated comrades, the Shadows began to retreat.  
"Whew, that could've gone better," Yosuke sighed.  
"We're getting too complacent. Familiarity is breeding contempt." Michael said sternly.  
Yukiko clenched her fists, "I say the next time we see that Shadow, we burn him to ashes!"  
Narukami nodded, "Sounds like a plan."  
"Don't forget, we need to find Kanji!" Chie cried.  
"Why can't we do that AFTER we beat up his Shadow?" Yosuke asked.  
Michael's eyes narrowed, "Have you been paying attention at all? The only way to defeat a Shadow is to have their real self accept them. How can we do that without having the real Kanji in the same room?"  
They all went silent.  
"You're wound pretty damn tight all of the sudden," Yosuke broke the silence with a mutter.  
Michael's rage flared even more, "If you ask me, you aren't uptight enough! This isn't like the world we come from, one wrong move here and we're dead, you understand? A Shadow gets a lucky hit on one of us? You better believe that person will be hanging from a telephone pole faster than Grant took Richmond. Let your guard down out here, even for a second, that's all it takes."  
The sobering reality hit the group like a ton of bricks.  
"You know, I guess that reality hasn't really hit home yet," Narukami softly.  
"Yeah, we're doing the rescuing, but we could just as easy wind up needing rescue ourselves," Chie added.  
"And we all know, no one will be coming to do that." Yosuke finished  
Michael's face softened with a sigh, "I didn't mean to bring you all down, I just want you to be sure you understand what's at stake here."  
"You're right," Yukiko muttered.  
There was more silence.  
"We need to communicate, know our capabilities as a team," Narukami said sternly.  
Chie nodded, "Right. No more lone wolf stuff, we gotta pay attention to each other."  
"Yeah, no more friendly fire. Please," Yosuke said, wincing at the memory.  
Michael grunted through a half-smile, "That's all I ask."  
Chie jumped into the air with excitement, "Aw, yeah! I've got a whole new second wind! Bring it on, Shadows! We'll pummel you!"  
A new wave of Shadows melted out of the wall to oblige her request.  
Michael smirked, "Test subjects."  
Teddie curled his meager bicep, "My nose says those dog Shadows in police uniforms are bear-y weak to fire!"  
"Yukiko, you're up!" Narukami commanded.  
"Persona!" Yukiko shouted, making a sweeping motion with her sensu at the oncoming dog-faced cops.  
Narukami turned to Yosuke, "Now hit them with a non-contact strike!"  
Yosuke grinned, "You heard him, Jiraiya!"  
Jiraiya pointed a finger at the conflagration, sending a spear of wind into the group. The Shadows landed hard against the bathhouse wall and disintegrated into ashes.  
"We got another legion incoming! Sherman, suppressing fire!" Michael shouted.  
Sherman fired a volley of shells at the oncoming battalion, slowing their advance.  
"Yukiko's fire is being absorbed by the front row, the next row just takes their place!" Narukami shouted angrily.  
Michael thought for a moment, "I have an idea! Yukiko, on me!"  
"I'm with you!" Yukiko replied.  
Michael and Yukiko stood side by side and their Personas followed suit.  
"Ready?" Michael asked warmly.  
Yukiko nodded, "Let's do it."  
The pair became bathed in blue light as their Persona cards, the Priestess and the Hierophant, danced around each other.  
"Trailblazer!" They shouted in unison.  
Konohana Sakuya flew behind Sherman and wrapped her shawl around his turret. The barrel grew a deep red and showed no signs of cooling. When it reached white hot, Sherman fired. A massive stream of fire followed closely behind the now-molten projectile and barreled straight through the Shadows. The projectile shed its molten composition as it cut through the onslaught, leaving behind a wave reminiscent of napalm that bisected down the middle of its flight path and coated the attackers. With ear-piercing shrieks, the Shadows melted into a smoldering nothingness.  
Michael and Yukiko stood panting.  
"Not a bad tactic," Michael managed.  
"We should do that again," Yukiko agreed.  
"That was awesome!" Chie shouted, "Where did you learn to do that?"  
Yukiko and Michael looked at each other and shrugged.  
"It just kinda came to us," Yukiko giggled.  
"Act on instinct," Michael nodded.  
"Either way, the path is clear. Let's get going before they come back," Narukami said.


	25. May 18th (Part 3)

Finally, the group came upon a large double door painted with the words 'WELCOME TO TROPICAL PARADISE' painted on the front surrounded by pink hearts.  
"Uh..he's in here?" Narukami asked Teddie.  
Teddie nodded affirmatively.  
"Yep, he's gotta be in there alright," Chie confirmed.  
"Okay, we should go in, but you all need to keep your cool," Yukiko said.  
Yosuke gave her a sideways look, "You might wanna take your own advice."  
Michael adjusted his belt, buttoned his shirt back up, and inspected his shoelaces.  
"Okay, we know what's gonna happen when we go in there. That being said, is everyone prepared?" Michael asked.  
"Ready as we'll ever be, I guess," Narukami replied.  
Michael took a step to open the door, but Chie stopped him and turned to the group.  
"Okay, listen up! Whatever happens in there, we gotta stay focused on the mission! That means first, we rescue Kanji, then we save Kanji, then-"  
Yukiko started giggling, "Chie, those are the same things."  
Chie spun around, "Th-that was intentional!"  
"Are you sure about that?"  
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, "Guys, can we get going?"  
"Uh, yeah, absolutely," Yosuke said.  
The group stared at the door and did nothing.  
"Uhh, so why aren't you opening the door?" Teddie asked.  
The group, excluding Michael, began stammering excuses out in a panic.  
"Okay, that's it," Michael barked and raised his leg.  
"Fore!" He shouted and gave a hard kick to the double door, making it fly open.  
"'Bout time one of you grew a pair!" Chie said.  
Michael spit on the floor, "The pot meets the kettles at last."  
The steam in front of them cleared and the group saw the Shadow Kanji laying on the floor with the real Kanji sitting on top of him, holding his arms down.  
"Oh man, that's awkward," Narukami said.  
Kanji spun around and saw the group looking on with uncomfortable looks on their face, the Shadow writhing underneath him.  
"Huh, what the Hell are you guys doing here?!" Kanji shouted.  
"Uh, we came here to save you," Yosuke said quietly.  
"Well you sure don't sound very motivated!"  
The Shadow took advantage of the lapse in Kanji's focus and pushed him off, "Upsie daisie!"  
Kanji fell backward as his Shadow sprung back to his feet.  
"I won't let you interfere," The Shadow giggled and raised his arms.  
The baths lining the room began to bubble up and overflow onto the floor, slowly soaking the bottom of the Investigation Team's shoes.  
"What is this stuff? Is it supposed to slow us down?" Chie asked, taking a step forward.  
The slimy fluid allowed the bottom of her shoes no grip and, with a cry, she teetered off balance.  
"Chie!" Yukiko cried, grabbing the flailing Chie's hand and causing both of them to fall to the floor.  
"Eww, what is this stuff?! We're covered in this slimy shit!" Chie squealed, trying to sit herself upright before falling forward again.  
Yosuke looked like a kid in a candy store, "Narukami? Michael? Either one of you have a video camera?"  
Michael smacked him on the back of the head, "Idiot! We're vulnerable! Here, help me get them up."  
Michael reached down to Yukiko, "Here, take my hand. I'll hold you steady, just get your feet underneath you."  
Yukiko nodded and accepted his hand, bringing herself to a kneeling position.  
"Yosuke, hold onto Michael's blazer. I'll get Chie up," Narukami commanded.  
Yosuke did as he was told and grasped the tails of Michael's blazer to keep him steady.  
While the team was dealing with their ordeal, Kanji's Shadow made his way to the kneeling figure of his counterpart.  
"Why don't you drop the tough guy act?" The Shadow asked.  
"The Hell are you talking about?" Kanji replied through clenched teeth.  
"Isn't it time to tell the world how you really feel? I'm everything you wish you could be," The Shadow cooed, flexing.  
"Bullshit! You're a liar!" Kanji snapped.  
Michael turned to Yosuke, "Yosuke, let me go and stop Kanji from denying his Shadow!"  
Yosuke nodded, "Let's go Jiraiya-"  
As Yosuke jumped to punch his Persona card, he slipped on the ooze and fell forward, pushing Yukiko and Michael down.  
"Yosuke!" Narukami shouted and attempted to catch his hand. He was successful, but merely wound up being pulled down to the floor.  
Teddie charged forward, "I'll help you, Sensei! Leave it to the bear-"  
Predictably, Teddie found himself sliding all the way down to the other side of the room like a bowling ball.  
The Shadow Kanji giggled some more, "I really hate girls. They always say such mean things to me. 'You like to sew? What a queer!' or if I paint a pretty picture they laugh at it and say 'Wow that's weird for a guy!' "  
Kanji growled, holding his ribs, "You prick..."  
The Shadow placed its hands on the kneeling boy's shoulders, "'You should be strong, you should be tough, you should be manly!' But what does that even mean, 'manly'? Girls are just so scary."  
Kanji tried to rise to his feet, "Girls aren't scary, dammit!"  
The Shadow shook its head, "No no, boys are so much better! They never say those awful things. That's why I like men!"  
"That's not true!" Kanji barked.  
"Oh, but it is. I am you, and you are so totally me!"  
Narukami pushed himself up on his hands, "No Kanji! Don't say it!"  
Kanji got to his feet, "There is no way that you're me!"  
The Shadow giggled manically, "I'm sorry, but I am you!"  
The Shadow rose into the air and a cocoon of rose petals materialized around him. Moments later, the cocoon burst open, revealing a giant, muscular body with the Shadow Kanji nestled in a wreath of flower petals at the head. The Shadow's body was divided straight down the middle with one half being white in color and the other being black, a thorny rose vine snaking all around it. In his hands, the Shadow held one massive metallic Mars symbol and an identically described Venus symbol. Two Shadows in the form of giant, muscled, bald men flanked the Shadow, each having a thin, black goatee on their faces and wore red speedos.  
"I am the Shadow, the true inner self!" The Shadow Kanji roared and blasted Kanji back with a burst of electrical energy.  
"Kanji, hang in there!" Yosuke cried, trying to right himself, but failing.  
After Yosuke had pushed them forward, Yukiko had landed face first onto Michael's chest. A fact she just not took notice of as she tried to get to her feet.  
"I'm so sorry, Michael-kun!" She stammered, her face red.  
As she tried to climb off him, he grabbed her wrist, "Wait."  
"Huh?!" She looked at him with her eyes wide open, her face reddened some more.  
He smiled a devious smile, "I'm not covered in slime," he said.  
"What does that mean?!"  
"It means you won't slip if you stand on top of me."  
"What would that accomplish?"  
"If you can stand up long enough, you can summon your Persona and use her fire to evaporate this liquid," Michael explained.  
Yukiko nodded slowly, "It's a good idea, but won't me standing on top of you hurt?"  
Michael shrugged, "Nothing some ibuprofen won't fix."  
She considered him for a moment and then nodded. She held on to the collar of his shirt and brought her knees to his chest. She carefully brought her feet under her and planted them on Michael's stomach. "Oof!" he grunted.  
"I'm sorry!" Yukiko said quickly.  
Michael shook his head and slowly raised his head and shoulders up, tightening his abdominal muscles to protect his insides.  
When she was sure he was okay, Yukiko began to rise once again and finally made it to her feet.  
"Whoa, talk about taking one for the team," Chie commented as she observed Yukiko stand erect on her corporal platform.  
Yukiko drew her sensu fan from her cardigan and was bathed in blue light, "Persona!"  
In a flash of heat, Konohana Sakuya burst to life and immediately began radiating her fiery aura around her, drying the slime into nothingness.  
The Investigation Team rose to their feet, "That's was close, nice going you two," Narukami said with a nod.  
Yukiko smiled, "It was all Michael's idea, really."  
"Speaking of," Michael grunted underneath her.  
"Oh my, I'm so sorry!" She cried, hopping off of his stomach.  
He exhaled deeply and caught his breath before rising with the others.  
The Shadow Kanji looped its arms through the golden gender symbols, "I want to finally be honest with myself and I will crush anyone who tries to stop me!"  
"I can't believe this is how Kanji-kun really feels," Yukiko said.  
"I don't think it is, it's just that his emotions are going all haywire," Yosuke replied.  
"Either way, let's end it," Narukami said sternly, "Izanagi!"  
"Tomoe!"  
"Jiraiya!"  
"Sherman!"  
In an instant, the assembled unit of Personas appeared and charged the Shadow Kanji. However, the flanking Shadows threw themselves in front of it.  
Chie's Persona was up first and delivered a vicious kick at one of the Shadows, who blocked the attack with its posterior.  
"Hey, come on now, baby," the Shadow purred.  
"What the Hell was that?!" Chie shrieked.  
Sakuya flew into the air and sent a stream of fire at the other one, engulfing it.  
"Oh, that feels good!" The Shadow said in delight, not fazed by the attack.  
"Oh no!" Yukiko squealed.  
"This just keeps getting weirder," Narukami lamented.  
Teddie waddled over to the group after his long trek from the other end of the room, Yosuke turned to him.  
"Teddie, what the Hell's going on here? These guys are major creeps!"  
"I'm willing to bet they're a part of Kanji's Shadow," Teddie replied.  
"Can you sniff out a weakness for them?" Michael asked.  
Teddie shook his head, "There's no bear-y obvious weakness at all."  
"Well, if they're part of his Shadow, then they'll fall when the Shadow falls. We just have to immobilize them so they can't keep defending it," Michael theorized.  
"And how do we do that?" Yosuke asked.  
"I'll let you know when I've reasoned that far."  
Izanagi dove to strike one of the Shadows, but was embraced by it instead.  
"Ooh, you're a stud," The Shadow said, puckering up.  
"Oh shit, change to Rakshasa!" Narukami said in a panic.  
Izanagi vanished, causing the Shadow to let go, and a card depicting the Strength arcana appeared in his place. The card burst and a lean warrior covered in red armor and wielding two curved swords appeared.  
"Sherman, artillery barrage!" Michael shouted.  
Sherman's sights locked onto the form of Shadow Kanji and released a rapid fire of shells from his cannon. The barrage was intercepted by one of the protector Shadows, who caught the explosive shells on its back.  
"Mmm, just a little lower," the Shadow hummed with the vibration of the shells hitting its back.  
Michael's fists clenched, "Dagnabbit!"  
Jiraiya flanked Rakshasa and once again attempted to strike the Shadow Kanji, but were caught again in the embrace of one of its attendant Shadows.  
"Oh, hold me tight, boys," the Shadow purred.  
"Oh no, change-" Narukami began, but with a thud, one of the large Shadows landed behind them.  
"You boys look yummy," the Shadow said, and with each hand, squeezed the butts of the two boys.  
Narukami and Yosuke fell to the floor, the color drained from their faces.  
"We're done for," Yosuke's voice cracked.  
"Oh no! That monster totally broke their spirits in half!" Teddie lamented, "Sensei, get up!"  
The Shadow looked over at Michael, "You're next, big boy. I love you sweaty cowboy types," it cooed.  
Sherman hovered over Michael's shoulder, "You're not my type," Michael quipped dryly.  
Chie and Yukiko backed up to each other.  
"It's okay, they don't seem interested in us, I think," Yukiko said meekly.  
The Shadow that was addressing Michael turned its head and regarded Yukiko with contempt.  
"Hmph," it said, in a dissatisfied tone.  
"Are you talking to me?" Yukiko squeaked.  
"You don't look good in red," the Shadow said flatly.  
Yukiko's face flared with anger, "What?!"  
In response, Sakuya peppered the area around the offending Shadow with fire.  
"Ooh, keep it coming!" The Shadow said cheerfully.  
"Ease up, Yukiko! Calm down!" Chie shouted and did not notice the other Shadow marching up behind her.  
"Chie, on your six!" Michael shouted.  
Chie slowly turned and looked up into the eyes of the Shadow.  
"Can I help you?" Chie squeaked.  
The Shadow kneeled down and put a massive hand on her shoulder, but did nothing else but stare at her with a big grin.  
"You're totally creeping me out!" Chie shrieked and Tomoe encased the Shadow in ice with a twirl of her staff.  
"Oooh, now that feels good!" The Shadow replied.  
The two girls fumed in anger both at the comments of the Shadows and the futility of their Personas' attacks.  
"Okay, everyone keep your cool!" Teddie said in a panic.  
 _They're distracted,_ Michael thought and turned to the unprotected Shadow Kanji.  
Sherman locked on quickly and fired his shells.  
 _They're gonna make it,_ Michael thought excitedly.  
"Party foul!" The Shadow Kanji shouted, and with a swipe of his weapons, knocked the shells away.  
"Bullshit!" Michael barked.  
Shadow Kanji started laughing, "My my, they were no trouble at all. Bye bye now!"  
The Shadow Kanji swung his two symbols together and long strands of purple electricity arced between them.  
"He's gonna attack!" Teddie cried.  
" Sherman, protect Yukiko!" Michael barked.  
Yukiko snapped out of her rage for a moment and looked over at him, "Michael-kun?"  
Sherman dove down in front of her and extended his cannon barrel as a lightning rod.  
The current raced across the room and arced into the flying Personas as well as their users, but Yukiko and Sakuya remained free of the attack as Sherman absorbed it all. Michael crumpled into the fetal position as he was hit with twice the power. Sherman collapsed to the floor, his form shimmering with weakness. The rest of the Investigation Team screamed in pain.  
"Ahh, I love the screams. They make me so happy," The Shadow Kanji cooed, but its face hardened when he looked down at the unconscious figure of Kanji lying at its feet.  
"You, however, you are an eyesore!" The Shadow screamed and blasted a massive burst of electricity at its target.  
Kanji braced himself, but as moments went by without being struck, he looked up. Intercepting the blast, stood Narukami and Izanagi, the former screaming through clenched teeth.  
"What...why did you..." Kanji began weakly.  
The electricity ceased and Narukami fell to his knees, his clothes steaming.  
"Time to bring this little soiree to an end!" The Shadow Kanji announced and began gathering more energy for a final attack.  
 _There's gotta be a way out, some escape, some trump card,_ Michael's thoughts raced through his mind, his subconscious' s last attempt at survival.  
Suddenly, a massive blue light surrounded the crumpled form of Narukami.  
Michael rolled over to face it, "Trump card? No, a wild card," he said to himself and managed a smirk.  
Narukami's eyes glowed as two Persona cards appeared in front of him. With a wave of his hand, one merged into the other one. With a roar, a massive, green, multi-headed dragon appeared behind him.  
"Whoa, that's awesome! He can fuse them too?!" Yosuke exclaimed in awe.  
"Yamata no Orochi," Narukami muttered.  
Taking it as a command, Yamata's heads struck forth with the speed and precision of a coiled snake. Two of the serpentine heads curled around the attendant Shadows and began to constrict them.  
"I gotta say, this isn't entirely unpleasant," one of them said, slowly turning blue.  
"It feels so good!" The other wheezed.  
The remaining heads unleashed a plethora of energy upon the exposed Shadow Kanji, encasing it in ice.  
"I'm s-so c-cold," it shivered.  
Kanji got to his knees and noticed something at Narukami's feet.  
"Hey, that's-" Kanji began, his shock apparent on his features as he gazed at the pink bunny cell phone strap that fell from Narukami's pocket.  
"You made it, right?" Narukami asked.  
Kanji glared at him, "Yeah, so? You got a goddamn problem with that? I can make cute stuff and still be tough!"  
"I know, I think what you made is cute," Narukami said.  
Kanji drew back in surprise, "What?"  
Narukami turned with a smile, "I said it's cute."  
Kanji looked at him, mouth agape, as the Shadow Kanji began to shake.  
"You think it's cute? Hello! It's super, duper cute! I love everything that's cute!" The Shadow Kanji shouted, the ice around it cracking as electricity burst forth from its body.  
Kanji picked up the cell phone strap and limped toward the lumbering figure of his Shadow.  
"You are just so persistent!" The Shadow mocked.  
Kanji's pace began to quicken, "Yep, I can't deny it."  
The Shadow leaned forward, "What was that?"  
Kanji was sprinting now, "I said I can't help it! I love cute shit!"  
Kanji drew back his fist and delivered an audible punch to the gut of the Shadow. To everyone's surprise, the giant flew backward as though it were hit by a truck. The Shadow Kanji and his attendant Shadows screamed as they disintegrated into flower petals.  
"Just accept me!" Shadow Kanji cried, his exterior vanishing and revealing the standard human doppelganger in its place.  
"I can't believe it, he beat up his own Shadow," Chie said in awe.  
Michael had been recovered by Yukiko and Chie and was now being supported by them, each of his arms around their respective shoulders.  
"That's how you gotta do it," he managed.  
Kanji turned to face the team.  
"Look, it made me happy when you called what I made 'cute'. You didn't make fun of me for it," he said, his cheeks reddening in embarrassment.  
Narukami smiled and acknowledged him with a nod.  
"You've got an incredible talent, Kanji. Don't let the world be deprived of that," Michael rasped.  
Kanji was about the reply, but turned suddenly as his Shadow doppelganger began slowly walking towards them.  
"He's come back for more!" Teddie cried, throwing himself to cover behind Yosuke.  
"I don't care who, just someone, anyone, please accept me for who I am!" The Shadow shouted and charged at them, its arms open for an embrace.  
"I said cut that shit out!" Kanji barked.  
The Shadow stopped.  
Kanji sighed, "I hate that this guy is inside of me. You have no idea how embarrassing it is."  
Kanji approached his Shadow, "It ain't about dudes or chicks. I'm just scared shitless about being made fun of. I'm nothing but a pansy who spends all his energy pushing people away."  
The Shadow's expression softened.  
"Look, I already knew that you're me and I'm you. That ain't some big revelation, fucking moron."  
The Shadow Kanji smiled at him and became engulfed in a blue light. Fading into existence, stood Kanji's Persona, a giant, black, robotic-looking Persona that displayed a skeleton design across the front of its body and wielded a metal thunderbolt-shaped weapon.  
"Michael-kun, look, it's Kanji's Persona!" Yukiko said excitedly.  
Michael slowly looked up at the towering behemoth, "I bet he's a scourge to arm-wrestling matches everywhere."  
"He is definitely one macho dude," Chie said with a laugh.  
The Persona vanished and in its place a card bearing the Emperor arcana descended into Kanji's hands.  
"Persona..." Kanji exhaled and fell to his knees.  
"Kanji, you okay?!" Narukami asked, he and Yosuke running to his aid.  
Kanji waved them off and, with a warm smile, gazed at the pink bunny he held in his hand.

"Thank you for the tea," Michael said to the waitress.  
He took a sip of the green liquid and could not help but smile in relief as the warm liquid relaxed the aching muscles in his chest. Despite returning from the backside of the TV, the soreness from the concentrated electrical attacks remained. He had quickly explained his weakened state away to the Amagi couple by saying he had overexerted himself at a gym in the neighboring Okina City.  
"This is what happens when you push yourself too hard. I'm telling you these gyms, mobile phones, and energy drinks are going to be the death of your generation," Mr. Amagi lectured.  
"It's just been awhile since I've been to the gym. I'll be fine next time," Michael said softly.  
Mr. Amagi shook his head and Michael winced as he clapped a hand on his shoulder, "Well, get better soon. I'm sure the basketball team will be disappointed if you have to miss practice."  
With that, Mr. Amagi and the waitress left, leaving Michael and Yukiko alone in the private dining room.  
Yukiko was silent as she stared at her lap.  
"Would you like a sip of tea?" Michael asked, extending the cup to her.  
She shook her head and did not speak. His attempt to end her silence had failed.  
They sat alone awhile longer, listening to the crickets outside the window. Finally, Yukiko spoke.  
"Why did you do it?"  
Michael looked over at her, "Do what?"  
"You know full well 'what'. Throwing your Persona in front of me and mine, taking four times the amount of energy everyone else did, that was reckless!" Her voice was gaining volume.  
"Instinct." Michael replied with a shrug, gently swirling the tea around in his cup and watching the leaves at the bottom form a spiral.  
"No it wasn't. Instinct steers people away from pain, not into it."  
"My instinct didn't get the memo."  
Yukiko sighed.  
"If it makes you feel any better," Michael began, gingerly reaching into his pocket, "I got you something."  
He extended his fist and uncurled his fingers, revealing a small, red bird plushie.  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "What, where did you get that?"  
Michael smirked, "Before Yosuke and Narukami took Kanji home, I asked him if he had a little red bird plushie. As I predicted, he did. These little red birds are all over the place right now, and since he loves 'cute shit', I knew he'd draw inspiration from them sooner or later."  
Yukiko was still staring dumbfounded, glancing between Michael and the plush he held in his hand.  
"Well? Take it, it's yours," Michael said with a smile.  
She picked it up from his palm and studied it, "This bird looks like the one I raised. How did you even get it here?"  
Michael nodded, "Yeah, after fighting your Shadow, I was curious as to why it took the form of a bird. I then made a connection between that and the little red birds I had seen pecking about around town. On a notion, I asked your mother about it. She said you had raised one such bird after it fell out of its nest, but it had escaped a while later. She said you were crestfallen over it. As for how it came into my possession so quickly, the inn's concierge was picking up some items from the shopping district and I asked him to stop by Tatsumi Textiles to pick it up."  
Yukiko's soft eyes stared at him, mouth agape.  
"I can't believe you did that," she managed.  
Michael winced and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm sorry if I pried too deeply, I get hopelessly curious and forget that-"  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, I mean I can't believe that this was what was on your mind, even after all we went through today."  
Michael flushed, "Best way to treat pain is to take your mind off of it."  
Yukiko's eyes began to water as she studied the plush some more. Then, wordlessly, threw her arms around Michael's neck in an embrace.  
"I love it!" She cried, her voice muffled.  
The sudden contact on his tender muscles hurt for the moment, but they relaxed as the warmth of her body coaxed the soreness into surrender. He turned his head toward her and, giving in to the moment, closed his eyes and rested his cheek against hers.


	26. May 22nd

May 22nd

With the liberation of Kanji Tatsumi from the backside of the TV, the Investigation Team settled back into life as usual while awaiting Kanji's recovery from the ordeal. Michael's injuries had healed to a minor dull soreness and he once again found himself on his knees beside one of the Amagi Inn's many planter beds, a pile of pulled weeds by his side.  
"Mikey-kun!"  
Michael looked up and saw Chie waving at him from down the footpath. He raised his hand in acknowledgement.  
"Howdy."  
Chie smiled, "How are ya feelin', big guy?"  
Michael rolled his shoulder around a bit, "Better than some, not as well as others."  
Chie shook her head at his naturally vague answer, "Well, if you're feeling up to it, Yukiko and I are gonna do some shopping out in Okina City. Wanna tag along?"  
Michael dusted his hands up and got to his feet, "That would be capital."  
Chie pumped her fist, "Alright! We got our pack mule!"  
Chuckling, Michael followed her into the inn to fetch Yukiko.

Michael, Yukiko, and Chie disembarked from the train at Okina Station. As they took the escalator down from the platform to the street, Michael observed that even though this was the densest population center in the region, the crowd and public business being conducted did not total even a fraction of that which made up a typical day in LA.  
"So, what's on the agenda today?" Michael asked as they stepped off the escalator.  
Yukiko was the first to answer, "Mostly just window shopping. We thought it would be nice to get a change of scenery for a bit."  
Michael nodded, "I can understand that. All things considered, Junes is starting to feel more like a workplace rather than the local hangout."  
Chie winced, "Sheesh, you're right. Whenever we go there we wind up talking about the case."  
Michael scratched the tip of his nose, "Well, it is a hot topic."  
"Michael, Chie, look over there," Yukiko said.  
The trio looked and saw a group of people, mostly men, crowded around a display of TV sets in an electronics store window.  
"Wow, I wonder what that's all about," Chie said.  
Michael started toward the group and beckoned the girls to follow him, "We're investigators, right? Let's get to investigatin'."  
Despite the crowd, Michael's height allowed him to clearly see the image displayed on the TVs. To his shame, his heart did a leap at the beautiful face that sang and danced across the display. The girl's copper hair was tied into long, wavy pony tails. Her bangs glided softly across her forehead just above her eyes that were so light a shade of brown that they were almost golden. Her smile during the most suggestive, and briefest, parts of the dance reminded Michael of a saltwater predator.  
 _With looks and a voice like that, she's just as dangerous,_ he mused.  
"Oh, no wonder there are so many guys watching this. That's that idol, Risette," Chie observed.  
"Oh yeah, I remember seeing her on those commercials," Yukiko replied.  
Chie looked up at the transfixed Michael, "Oh no, don't tell me you fell under her spell too," she groaned.  
Michael ignored the remark, "How old is she?" he asked.  
Chie and Yukiko glanced at each other.  
"Uh, Yosuke would probably know more about that than we would. I think she's around our age though," Chie replied.  
Michael shook his head, "Damn shame."  
Chie tilted her head, "Wow, that's usually not the reaction most men have to seeing Risette."  
"Where I come from, child stars have a bleak future. I know I don't know her personally, but it's still a grim feeling knowing the statistical likelihood of her future."  
"I'm sure she'll be fine, idols are loved by the populace," Yukiko said.  
Chie slapped Michael on the back of the shoulder, "Don't worry, you big softie. She's safe as can be from all the evils of the world on that TV screen."  
Michael chuckled dryly, "All things considered, I hope that irony is not lost on you."  
The trio turned to return to their original mandate when the sight of a familiar face diverted them once again.  
"Narukami-kun!" Chie shouted.  
Narukami, who had just stepped off the escalator from the train station himself, looked over in surprise as the three approached him. In his company, to Michael's shock, was the punk girl whom he had met upon he and Narukami's arrival in Inaba.  
"Hey guys," Narukami said with a smile.  
"Oh and Marie-chan is with you?"  
The girl identified as Marie nodded, but said nothing more.  
"So that's your name," Michael said.  
Marie looked over at him with a look of curiosity, "Uh, yeah? Have we met before?"  
Her matter-of-fact attitude temporarily caught Michael off-guard.  
"I believe so, at the train station in Inaba. The same place you met Narukami," Michael explained.  
Marie looked at the ground and shook her head, "What's your name, Boots?"  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Boots?"  
Marie nodded, "You wear work boots. You're the only person I've met who wears those without actually working."  
Michael smirked, "Name's King, Michael King."  
Marie tilted her head, "That's a weird name. Are you Japanese?"  
Michael considered her for a moment, unsure if she was serious, "Last time I checked, no."  
"Then why are you here?"  
"You first," Michael replied, hooking his thumbs behind his belt buckle.  
Marie's face darkened, "I don't know."  
Yukiko cleared her throat, "Hello, Marie-san. Um...I take it you all know each other?  
Chie turned to her, "Oh, that's right. You haven't met her yet, have you? I ran into Marie-chan and Narukami-kun at Junes once. We had lunch together."  
Chie turned back to Marie, "Oh, let me introduce you. Marie, this is Yukiko Amagi. She's a friend of ours."  
"...Friend?" Marie said slowly, the word sounding foreign from her mouth.  
Yukiko looked at Michael and then at Narukami, "If you two met her by the train station, then she must not be from around here, right?"  
"That must be why you came here to Okina City for the day, huh? There's diddly-squat to do back in Inaba, trust me, I know," Chie chimed in.  
Marie studied Michael, Chie, and Yukiko closely before turning to Narukami.  
"There's a black one and a brown one now. What're Green, Black, and Brown doing here?" She asked him.  
Narukami's face reddened, "M-Marie!"  
Yukiko looked up at Michael, "Green, black and brown?!"  
Michael nodded, "I think she's referring to our clothing colors."  
Chie winced, "Ah...haha...I was wearing green the last time I saw you, wasn't I, Marie-chan?"  
"I don't always wear black..." Yukiko muttered with a pout.  
Marie raised an eyebrow at them, "I didn't say it was bad. You look good in those colors."  
Michael allowed himself a moment to study Yukiko in her black cardigan and frilly white skirt. Despite the two layers of clothing on her torso, her figure was still magnificently outlined.  
 _Boy howdy,_ he thought.  
Chie and Yukiko looked at each other and smiled before turning back to Marie.  
"Oh, uh, thanks. I didn't think it was a compliment," Chie laughed nervously.  
Yukiko looked up at Michael, "She's a nice girl, no doubt about it."  
Michael scratched his forehead with the back of his thumbnail, "Aye."  
Marie studied them some more and looked back at Narukami, "But the Black One is dressed so plain. Brown One talks funny. And does the Green One really wear the same thing all the time?"  
The looks of self-consciousness returned to the girls' faces.  
"Marie! You can't just say that stuff to people!" Narukami stammered.  
"She's to the point as ever," Chie groaned.  
"But she's right, too," Yukiko murmured.  
"'Black One'? 'Brown One'? That makes us sounds like we came straight out of Lovecraft," Michael said with a snicker.  
Marie shook her head, "I didn't mean it like that. I'm just saying it's a waste. Humans can change their clothes, right? You should try wearing new clothes," Marie explained calmly.  
Michael ran a hand over his beard, "Isn't broke, won't fix."  
"I never really had a mind to pick out my own new outfits..." Yukiko replied.  
After a moment, Chie lit up.  
"I know! Let's go clothes shopping!" She announced.  
"Chie, they might already have plans of their own. Don't just assume they can come along at a moment's notice," Yukiko said softly.  
Narukami smiled and shook his head, "I don't mind tagging along. How about you, Marie-chan?"  
Marie looked at him in surprise, "Um...I don't mind."  
Chie threw a fist in the air, "All right, then! Let's get going! Come on, Yukiko!" Chie beckoned, pulling Marie along behind her.  
Michael and Narukami fell behind them by a few yards, leaving the girls to their own discussion.  
"So, about Marie," Michael began.  
"What about her?" Narukami asked.  
"Is she a little...special?"  
Narukami snorted a laugh, "Not in the way you're thinking."  
"I remember her from the train station that day. How did you wind up reconnecting with her?"  
There was a short pause as Narukami thought about his answer, "Mutual friends."  
"From school?"  
"Nope."  
Michael raised an eyebrow and considered him carefully, "Uh huh."  
The group arrived at a flashy storefront that was a vibrant mix of pinks, purples, and reds in window trimming and neon lights. The sign 'CrocoFur' flashed brilliantly over the automatic sliding doors.  
Narukami paused for a moment and considered the store.  
"What's the matter?" Michael asked.  
"This place is kinda...pink," Narukami replied slowly.  
Michael chuckled, "That's one of the obligations of being a boyfriend, you gotta go into the fancy stores."  
Narukami shook his head, "Marie and I aren't dating."  
"Then consider this live-fire practice. Don't tell me you still have shellshock from the bathhouse debacle?"  
Narukami shrugged and followed Michael in.  
Yukiko and Chie had already begun to browse, but Marie found herself standing between the two with Narukami and Michael.  
"I was right, mostly girl stuff," Narukami sighed.  
"Not all of it, there's some men's wear behind you," Yukiko replied.  
Michael and Narukami turned to the wall behind them. The shelves were stacked with all different colors and designs of male skinny jeans. Michael shuddered.  
"I'll stick to my Wranglers, thank you," Michael declared.  
Chie held up a shirt to them, "Hey, how's this one? Do you think it's a good color?"  
"Isn't that green?" Narukami whispered to Michael.  
"Shut up," Michael cautioned him.  
"it's green," Marie said flatly.  
Michael facepalmed.  
Chie looked at the shirt in surprise, "Whoa, you're right! Why do I keep buying green clothes?"  
Chie looked Marie up and down, "What's your favorite color? Let me guess, blue."  
Marie subconsciously put a hand on her blue hat and tightened her grip on her blue handbag, "Er, I don't really have one."  
Yukiko turned to them, holding a jet-black skirt in her hands, "What about this? Do you think it's too mature for me?"  
Michael swallowed hard, the skirt was almost half the length of the one she was already wearing.  
"It's...um...progressive," he managed.  
Yukiko was about to ask him to elaborate, but Michael was saved by yet another blunt remark from Marie, "It's also black."  
Yukiko looked at the skirt and shrugged, "Is wearing a single color not 'in' right now? I like to keep things simple..." Yukiko considered for a moment, but then nodded with a smile, "Maybe I'll try exploring new styles. Away with simplicity!" With that, she turned back to the rack she had been perusing.  
Marie looked concerned, "Uh..okay?"  
"How about this? Does this say 'me'?" Chie asked, showing them another article of green clothing.  
"Still green," Marie stated.  
"How about this one? Remember, away with simplicity!" Yukiko said.  
Marie shook her head, "Too many colors. It's making me dizzy."  
Yukiko sighed and put the skirt back.  
"By thunder, it's like 'Simon Says' with you three," Michael said in exasperation.  
Marie was about to respond, but was interrupted by a gleeful shout from Chie, "Oh! Oh! This skirt's cute! It would go so well with this blouse!"  
The group gathered around the outfit she laid out on the table: a yellow shirt and a blue skirt.  
"Well, it's not green," Marie said with a shrug.  
"Are you sure about that?" Michael asked with a smirk.  
Yukiko's eyes widened in revelation, "Wait, blue and yellow make green, don't they?"  
Michael nodded, a chuckle in his throat.  
Chie have a groan of frustration, "Ugh, you're right. Maybe it's some kind of instinct?"  
Marie looked at her in legitimate surprise, "You mean you didn't do this on purpose?"  
The group shared a laugh and went back to their browsing.

They met up in front of the escalator to the train platform after departing from CrocoFur. Michael carried a bag containing a few black skirts for Yukiko and a pair of swimming trunks for himself, at Narukami's advisement.  
Chie's shoulders drooped, "Ugh, I can't believe that they were out of everything I wanted in my size," she lamented.  
Yukiko patted her back, "It can't be helped. Let's go back sometime later. They might have some new inventory by then."  
Chie turned to the rest of the group with a smile, "Why don't we all come back together, then? All five of us!"  
Narukami returned her smile, "Of course," he turned to Marie, "that means you too."  
Marie's eyes widened, "Me too? Why?"  
Chie raised an eyebrow, "Because we're friends?"  
"We are? Since when?"  
Chie looked heartbroken, "What do you mean? You weren't having fun with us? I wasn't just bothering you, was I?"  
Michael noticed tears were coming to her eyes.  
"I doubt she meant it the way you're taking it," Michael offered.  
Marie looked confused, "What? No, you weren't bothering me. I was just asking why you're calling us friends?"  
Michael gave Narukami a 'really?' look, he received a defeated shrug as a reply.  
"...What does it mean to be friends?" Marie asked quietly.  
Chie and Yukiko looked at each other.  
"Gee, I don't really know...The meaning of friendship...? Hmm..." Chie thought out loud.  
Narukami looked down at Marie, "There's meaning behind it, you'll know it when you feel it."  
Yukiko nodded, "Yes, I believe there is meaning. There are things you can't do by yourself, but you can do them with others. Like today, you helped us pick out clothes."  
Marie looked down at the toes of black shoes and shook her head, "I don't get it."  
Suddenly, Chie grabbed Michael's shoulders and looked up at him with an expression of urgency.  
"Ohmygosh! I almost forgot! There's a DVD I wanted to buy while we were here! If we don't hurry, it'll sell out!" She said quickly, shaking him.  
"Well now, that does sound urgent. Let's go get it then," Michael replied, hoping that would appease her into releasing him.  
Yukiko shook her head, "It's one of those kung-fu movies, right? I doubt it'll sell out."  
"Better safe than sorry! Enough talk everyone! Come on! Hustle!" Chie commanded excitedly and took off in a sprint down the sidewalk.  
Michael and Yukiko looked at each other and, with a sigh, walked after her.  
Michael turned to Narukami and Marie, "You two coming?"  
"Me too?" Marie asked.  
Narukami nodded at her, "You heard her, it'll sell out."

That night at the Amagi Inn, Michael and Yukiko settled down once more into another over-the-phone translating session. To Michael's satisfaction, every now and then he heard the clinking of the cell phone strap he gave her against the receiver.  
"So what do you think the meaning is?" Yukiko asked him.  
"Of what? This sentence?" Michael asked, still thinking about the work in front of him.  
Yukiko giggled, "No silly, I mean the meaning of friendship."  
Michael ran a hand through his gelled-back hair, "Ah, you're still thinking about what Marie was saying earlier."  
He heard her sigh, "I guess it just made me realize that I didn't really know how to describe friendship. So that's why I was wondering, how would you describe it?"  
Michael thought for a moment, "Jumping into TVs to defeat the personifications of the evil subconscious of humanity.  
Yukiko laughed, "Okay, that's a very unique example."  
Michael nodded even though he knew she could not see him, "Friendships are made up bonds between people. Each person is unique. Therefore, every friendship is unique."  
There was silence.  
"I guess I never thought of it that way. You're very wise, Brown One."  
"Right back at you, Black One."


	27. May 24th

May 24th

The school dismissal bell rang out through the halls on that sunny afternoon. The team gathered up their things.  
"So what's the word on Kanji?" Michael asked, putting his notebook into his backpack.  
"He's still recovering. My uncle acted pretty suspicious about it though," Narukami answered.  
"Suspicious? How so?" Yukiko asked.  
"He asked me why I was hanging around the textile shop lately."  
The group froze and slowly glanced around at each other. Michael leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together.  
"...And what did you tell him?" He asked slowly.  
"I told him that we were helping you and Yukiko out, since the inn buys their stuff wholesale."  
Michael nodded approvingly, "Smart. Did he buy it?"  
Narukami shrugged, "He seemed to. However, he told me 'don't get in over your head'."  
"You think he's onto us?" Chie said in a whisper.  
Narukami shrugged.  
"Perhaps going forward we should be a little less...conspicuous in our lines of inquiry?" Michael suggested.  
Narukami nodded, "You're right. In a small town like this, the five of us moving around in a group will draw attention."  
Michael rose from his seat and, with a grunt, hoisted his backpack on his shoulder. The sound of metal hitting metal clanged from within.  
Yosuke raised an eyebrow, "Jesus dude, what are you carrying in there?"  
"Gardening tools," Michael replied.  
"Uh, why?"  
It was Michael's turn to raise an eyebrow, "Gardening."  
"Ah." Yosuke replied dryly.  
With a parting wave, Michael exited the classroom.

Cicadas sang their welcome to summer from the bark of the shrine's trees as Michael surveyed the area. Two little boys were diligently searching for bugs to catch, their nets poised at the ready. He smiled to himself at the reminder of simpler times before turning his gaze to the planter beds that lined the path and encircled the tree trunks. He set his backpack down and opened it up, revealing all sorts of handheld gardening tools. He pulled out the small plow and set to work turning over the soil, pulling out the uprooted sprouts of weeds and other malignant growths. He hummed "Blue Moon of Kentucky" to himself as he worked, occasionally giving in to his cautious nature and warily glancing down the path behind him.  
"Hey," a familiar voice said behind him.  
Michael spun around and saw the figure of Narukami standing before him, a deadpan look on his face.  
"Shouldn't sneak up on folks like that," Michael said, turning back to his work.  
"Sorry. What are you doing here?" Narukami asked, crouching down next to him.  
"Gardening."  
"I can see that, but why?"  
Michael dusted off his hands and looked past Narukami to the shrine, "Because I've never been much good at praying."  
"Considering the fact that your arcana is also known as 'the Pope', that's pretty ironic," Narukami said with a wry smile.  
Michael coughed out a laugh, "I reckon so."  
Michael went back to working and, to his surprise, Narukami picked up one of the tools as well.  
"You don't have to do that, you know," Michael said.  
Narukami shrugged, "I think I like your version of praying better."  
Michael nodded and the two plodded away at their labor until the sun began to set. Michael glanced around and noticed that the children must have long since gone home and the cicadas' song slowly began to be replaced by the crickets' dirge.  
Michael dusted off his hands and rose to his feet, "We should stop here. I'm not sure when mosquitoes come out around here, but I certainly don't want to find out this way."  
Narukami rose to his feet as well, "Yeah, good point."  
The two packed their tools into Michael's backpack and started down the footpath back to the main street of the shopping district. As they came out onto the street, a blur of movement out of the corner of his eye caused Michael to turn. A short girl with short brown hair darted around the corner into the shrine behind them and hurried down the path, a small bag in her hand. Narukami noticed her too.  
"Who was that?" He asked.  
"I don't know, but it was almost like she was waiting for us to leave," Michael observed.  
"Maybe we should say hello?" Narukami suggested.  
Michael shook his head, "There's a reason she wants to be alone, I have no intention of disrespecting that desire."  
"Fair enough."  
Michael held out his hand, "Thanks for helping me out today."  
Narukami smiled and accepted it, "No problem, we should do it again sometime. Hey, would you like to swing by for some dinner?"  
Michael gave him a concerned look, "On such short notice? I would hate to inconvenience you or your uncle."  
Narukami chuckled, "Nah, it won't be an inconvenience. I'm sure Nanako wants to see you and my uncle enjoys having someone new to talk to every now and then."  
Michael thought for a moment and then nodded, "In that case, I accept."

"Mikey!" Nanako shouted with glee, wrapping her arms around his waist.  
Michael chuckled and ruffled her hair, "Howdy, kiddo."  
"Nanako, go sit down with Michael at the table. I'll cook up some dinner," Narukami said, walking towards the kitchen.  
"Okay! Come on Mikey-kun! Daddy will be home soon!" Nanako said, pulling at his arm.  
Michael sat down at the table, Nanako sitting to his left. It was not but a few minutes later that the front door opened and Dojima stepped in.  
"Yu, Nanako, I'm home!" Dojima announced, "Hey, whose shoes are these?"  
"Daddy!" Nanako sprang up, "Michael's here to visit us!"  
Michael got to his feet and bowed, "Your nephew invited me, I hope that's all right."  
Dojima smiled and extended his hand, "Absolutely, the more the merrier."  
Michael accepted it and nodded, "Thank you."  
The three returned to their seats and Narukami came out of the kitchen with the bowls of noodles and pre-packaged sushi on a tray. Dojima rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.  
"I'm sorry we don't have anything really fancy. I'm away from home quite a bit so I try to keep stuff around that's easy for Nanako and Yu to make," he explained.  
Michael smiled, "That's quite all right. I prefer my food to be simple and plentiful."  
"Quick and easy, huh? That's the way to do it," Dojima nodded in approval.  
Narukami took his seat after distributing the food and the four of them began to eat.  
"How has you and Yukiko's recovery been going so far?" Dojima asked.  
"We're back to one-hundred percent. Thank you for asking," Michael replied.  
"Good. Word around town is that you've been a big help to the Amagi family. I hope Inaba has been treating you well in turn."  
Michael swallowed his latest bite of food and dabbed at his beard with a napkin, "It has. The people are good folk and have been very patient with me despite my barely basic knowledge of the culture."  
Dojima smiled, "That's good. I can say with confidence that this town is a good town, and coming from a police officer who sees the worst it has to offer every day, that's saying something."  
"Are you going to be staying here a long time?" Nanako asked.  
Michael smiled at her, "Until the end of the school year."  
Nanako looked down at her plate, "But that's when big bro is leaving too..." she said sadly.  
Michael reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder which barely took up a quarter of his large hand.  
"Don't worry, my dear. He and I will visit often," he said warmly.  
Nanako looked up with a half smile, "You promise?"  
"Cross my heart."  
"What he said," Narukami added.  
She brightened again and nodded, "Okay!"  
"That reminds me, I never got a chance to really thank you and Yukiko for helping Yu keep Nanako company during Golden Week," Dojima said, "I appreciate it more than you realize."  
"We should be the ones thanking you. Nanako is the life of the party. With your permission, we'd like to bring her along more often," Michael explained.  
Nanako's face reddened, "Really?!" she exclaimed before turning to Dojima, "Can I?!"  
Dojima laughed, "Absolutely. That's much better for you than sitting in front of that TV all day, anyway."  
The group silenced as they took another few bites of food before Dojima looked up at Michael again.  
"I trust that your relationship with the Amagi family has introduced you to quite a few of the local business owners," Dojima observed.  
Michael shrugged, "I suppose so. The Amagis rent out my services every now and then to the senior members of the merchant society."  
"You mean like Mrs. Tatsumi? With her son under the weather, I suppose she would need an extra pair of able hands and a strong back."  
Alarm bells went off in Michael's head immediately. His face remained passive, but he could feel the inquisitive orbs that were nestled in Dojima's tired face studying him for a reaction. He chose his next words carefully.  
"I have been there recently, but not to assist Mrs. Tatsumi," Michael said, twisting his chop sticks around in his noodles.  
Dojima leaned in, "Oh?"  
"I went to visit Kanji-san after that news story about him aired. I sympathize with him, really."  
Narukami froze and looked at him.  
Dojima seemed even more interested now, "You sympathize with Kanji Tatsumi? I can't imagine anything you two have in common."  
Michael shrugged innocently before delivering the line that killed Dojima's vaguely disguised interrogation, "He and I both know what it's like to falsely accused."  
Narukami's eyes widened and, without thinking, he turned to see Dojima's reaction. Dojima drew back slightly, his features taking a defensive look. A split second later, he relaxed, accepting the thinly veiled rebuke.  
"I...see," Dojima muttered.  
Nanako nervously glanced back and forth between her father and Michael, "Are you two fighting?"  
Michael and Dojima turned to look at her, each of them putting on a reassuring smile.  
"No no, of course not," Dojima said in a calming voice.  
"Just a couple of working men having a conversation. You'll understand when you're a little older," Michael said with a grin.  
Nanako nodded, "Oh, okay!"  
The dinner continued without incident until the food was completely gone.  
"Boy, the amount of food two teenage boys can eat. I'm glad I had a daughter or I'd be penniless," Dojima laughed.  
"It was all delicious. Thank you very much for having me," Michael said.  
"No trouble at all. Any friends of my nephew are welcome here anytime."  
Suddenly, Michael's phone text alert went off, "INCOMING TRANSMISSION!" the robotic voice rang out.  
Michael smiled sheepishly and drew the phone from his pocket, "Excuse me," he said apologetically.

 **Yuki: Hey, you're out late.  
Michael: Sorry, I suppose I have been out quite a long time. I'm still at Narukami's.  
Yuki: Do you need a ride back? I can send the concierge.  
Michael: That won't be necessary, but thank you. I'll just catch a bus.  
Yuki: Are you sure?  
Michael: Positive. The night air is therapeutic.  
**There was a short pause. **  
Yuki: Just be safe, okay?  
Michael: I always am.  
**

Michael stuffed his phone back into his pocket, "I'm sorry about that."  
Dojima waved dismissively, "Don't worry about it. I assume that was one of the Amagis wondering where you are."  
Michael laughed nervously, "I see you're just as capable a detective off the clock."  
Dojima smiled wryly, "I can go even further than that. I know the Amagi couple, they're old-fashioned like me and don't use text messages. Therefore, that must have been their daughter."  
Michael's face reddened and Narukami snickered, "My compliments," he said.  
Dojima laughed, "I've been doing this a long time. Here, let me give you a ride back."  
Michael shook his head, "That won't be necessary, I can catch a bus."  
Dojima held up a hand, "No way, as a member of the Inaba P.D. I can't in good conscience let a high school student go out alone at this hour. Besides, in my experience, when a woman tells you to come home, you better do it," Dojima smirked as he took his keys off a hook by the front door, "although in my day, kids your age were only getting those orders from their mother."

The ride to the Amagi Inn had been mostly silent with the occasional comment from Dojima on certain locations they would pass by regarding where he would spend time as a kid, what buildings used to be something else, and blocks of homes which were once pasture land. Michael had been nodding and giving a affirmative responses politely, offering an occasional request for further details, but then Dojima gave a heavy sigh.  
"Hey, about earlier...I'm sorry for putting the mood down," he said.  
"What are you referring to, exactly?" Michael asked, feigning ignorance.  
"Questioning you about Kanji. Remember what you said before about detectives being off the clock? Well, regrettably, we never really are."  
There was silence.  
"I understand. You're doing the best you can."  
Dojima huffed a dry laugh, "The damn press doesn't seem to think so. They're questioning our intelligence while in the same breath calling some high school student 'sheriff'."  
Michael looked over at him, but remained silent.  
Dojima sighed again and ran a hand over his face, "I'm sorry. This town has always been so quiet. Even when something significant did happen, it would stay local and we could get it solved quietly. Now with all this mass media and the internet, we have the entirety of the prefecture breathing down our necks for results."  
Michael waited until he was sure Dojima was done speaking before speaking himself, "They say that garbage, but I'd love to see one of those reporters pick up a gun and a badge and do any better. Police have always been on the losing end of the media's flavor-of-the-month opinion, but at the end of the day, we all need you and everyone knows it."  
Dojima glanced over at him, but remained silent.  
Finally, they pulled up alongside the curb in front of the Amagi Inn. Michael reached for the handle and turned back toward Dojima, "Thank you for dinner and the ride, Dojima-san."  
Dojima nodded with a smile, "You're welcome back anytime you like."  
Michael rose from his seat and turned to shut the door behind him.  
"Hey, Michael?"  
"Yeah?"  
Dojima gave him a wry smile, "Call me Ryotaro."  
Michael considered him for a moment, "I'll think about it, Dojima-san."


	28. May 29th

**Disclaimer: Kyrie Hajime is an OC that belongs to user** **XxWolfLord95xX.**

May 29th

Michael wiped the sweat from his brow as he gazed out across the landscape from his foothold on the Amagi Inn's roof. The unseasonable bouts of rain had caught the inn's staff off-guard and they found that a few small leaks had sprung from the ceiling. Michael volunteered to fix it before the next downpour and, to his silent shame, was beginning to regret it. The shingles beneath him were built well, but the antique inn was beginning to show its age, despite the quality craftsmanship. He sang "The Ballad of Thunder Road" to himself softly as he went about his work, his eye occasionally glancing to the side of him at the long drop to the earth below.  
"Let me tell the story, I can tell it all, about the mountain boy who ran illegal alcohol," he sang on, hammering nails in to the beat.  
He hammered in the last nail and looked up as the door to the maintenance landing that housed the inn's climate control units creaked open. Yukiko stepped out with a tray containing glasses of lemonade in her hands, her work kimono billowing softly in the breeze.  
"I thought you could use something to drink," she said sweetly, setting the tray down on one of the vent ducts.  
Michael slowly climbed his way toward her up the shingle-laden slope.  
"How thoughtful," he said with smile and brought a glass to his lips, "Delicious."  
"Don't guzzle like that, you're gonna get a stomach ache," Yukiko cautioned.  
He ignored her and the liquid disappeared down his throat. He set the glass down and dabbed away the liquid that soaked into his beard with his sleeve.  
"So are you finished?" Yukiko asked, glancing past him at the new patches in the roof.  
Michael nodded, "Yep, for now anyway. We'll see what happens after the next downpour."  
Yukiko averted his gaze, "You wouldn't happen to have a little more energy to go shopping with me later, would you?"  
Michael shrugged, "Sure, I'll tag along. Where are we headed?"  
"The Junes grocery department, I need to get more ingredients."  
Michael felt a chill settle over him, _she's gonna cook some more._  
Outwardly, he grinned and nodded, "Good deal. Just give me a few minutes to wash up and I'll meet you in the lobby."  
Yukiko nodded happily, "Boy howdy!"

Michael washed down the sweat and grime from his arms and face with a washcloth and changed his clothes before heading down to the lobby. Yukiko was already awaiting him in her own casual clothes.  
"Hey, ready to get going?" he asked, adjusting his belt buckle one last time.  
Yukiko nodded and they went to leave when Michael's phone went off.  
"Now I face out, I hold out, I reach out to the truth of my life," the ringtone sang out.  
Michael picked it up and answered, "You have King."  
"Michael, it's Narukami."  
"What's up?"  
"You gotta come to the shrine," Narukami said, urgency in his voice.  
Michael glanced over at Yukiko, "I'm afraid I'm otherwise engaged."  
"I'm sorry, but this is important. It's about the case."  
Michael's eyes widened, "Did you alert the others?"  
"Not yet, I need a level head with me on this one."  
"Very well, I will be there shortly."  
"I'll be waiting."  
Michael hung up and turned back to Yukiko, "I'm sorry, I'll have to catch up with you."  
Yukiko looked worried, "Is everything alright?"  
Michael nodded, "Yeah, it's nothing to worry about. I'll be quick, so go ahead to Junes and I'll catch up."  
Yukiko was conflicted, but agreed. The two rode the bus to the shopping district together and split up from there.  
Michael cautiously approached the shrine. His knife was pushed up his sleeve and the hilt balanced delicately against the side of his wrist. He peered down the pathway to the shrine and saw Narukami standing over a small girl who sat on the steps of the shrine with some sort of animal in her lap. Narukami did not seem to be on his guard, so Michael relaxed a bit, but kept the knife at the ready as he approached.  
"Narukami-kun," Michael said tersely.  
Narukami looked over at him, but the girl winced and the animal in her lap, which Michael now saw was a fox wearing a small red apron, bared its teeth.  
"Michael, thanks for coming," Narukami said before turning back to the girl, "Kyrie Hajime, this is Michael King. He's a friend of mine, you've probably seen him around," he explained.  
Kyrie nodded, but her eyes betrayed her distrust.  
"Charmed," Michael said dryly, "Now what's all this about, Yu?" he asked, his eyes resting on the fox in the girl's lap that stared daggers at him.  
"Kyrie, can you tell him what you told me?" Narukami asked, kneeling down to meet her gaze.  
The girl's short brown hair blew gently in the breeze against her cheek and her sky blue eyes stared at the ground with near-rapt attention. Finally, she spoke.  
"I know what you all do," Kyrie said softly.  
"Pardon?" Michael said.  
Kyrie glanced quickly up at him before looking away again, "I've seen you go into the TV."  
Michael froze and looked over at Narukami who returned his look with a serious expression of his own.  
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," Michael said, but Narukami held up his hand.  
"It's okay, Michael-kun. I already admitted to it," he said.  
Michael studied him for a moment, "I suppose you have your reasons, yes?"  
Narukami nodded, "Kyrie, tell him."  
Kyrie straightened her back and her gaze rose from the ground, "I can help you, I want to help you."  
"Do you even know what we do?" Michael asked.  
Kyrie nodded and her gaze reached higher, "You rescue people, the people on the Midnight Channel. I saw Amagi-san on it and then she stopped coming to school. Then, she reappears and suddenly you're all best friends," Kyrie began to quiet down, sensing that she was getting caught up in the moment. Michael was worried she was going to clam up again, but the fox in her lap nuzzled her cheek as if in encouragement and she continued with her explanation.  
"When Tatsumi-san disappeared, I followed you. I saw you go into the TV and when you came out, he was with you. You saved him!" Kyrie said, a bit of admiration apparent in her voice.  
"You're a bright young lady," Michael conceded, "How old are you, anyway?"  
"I'm twelve," Kyrie said, a tone of defensiveness in her voice.  
"But you say you go to Yasogami High?" Michael's voice lowered with suspicion.  
Kyrie nodded, "I'm really good at school."  
"That would hold up with your aptitude for deductive reasoning," Michael said, nodding to himself, "My admiration for your due diligence aside, how do you intend to help us?"  
"With these!" Kyrie said.  
As if on cue, the fox in her lap produced a mouthful of leaves from its apron and placed them in Kyrie's hand. Kyrie held them out proudly.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "...Leaves? You lost me."  
"These leaves are great medicine, they can heal your injuries, no matter what!" Kyrie said confidently.  
"It's true," Narukami chimed in, "I cut my finger making breakfast this morning. I wrapped it in one of those leaves and the wound was healed in seconds."  
Michael whistled in awe, "As my old coach used to say, 'that there's some good cactus juice'."  
Kyrie put the leaves back into the fox's apron and looked between Michael and Narukami expectantly.  
"So, can I join you guys?" she asked.  
Michael and Narukami looked at each other and stepped away from Kyrie to talk.  
"Your thoughts?" Narukami asked.  
"Why are you asking me? You're the skipper."  
"I value your advice."  
Michael ran a hand over his beard, "You say those leaves really work?"  
Narukami nodded, "Yeah, I was skeptical at first too."  
"The strategic logistical value of such a medicine is incredible, but I have moral qualms about bringing a little girl into a world filled with dangerous Shadows."  
Narukami sighed, "I know, and I explained the danger to her. She understood it."  
"I'm going to go out on a limb here and say she won't give us the leaves without us taking up her end of the bargain."  
"Bingo."  
Michael exhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Alright."  
The two returned to Kyrie who glanced between them, an anxious look in her eyes.  
"You can come along," Narukami said.  
Kyrie's previously sullen face suddenly brightened, "Really?!"  
"Under one condition," Michael began, "the backside of the TV is thoroughly dangerous. Any time we believe you're in imminent danger, I reserve the right to send you right back out into Junes, understand?"  
Kyrie studied him for a moment before nodding, "Okay, it's a deal."  
The fox yipped in affirmation.  
Michael eyed the fox again, "I've seen you around here before, partner. "  
The fox yipped again.  
"Do you think it understand us?" Narukami asked.  
"Of course she, not it, understands you," Kyrie said matter-of-factly.  
"Our mistake," Michael said, raising his hands in defense.  
"We should introduce her to the others when Kanji recovers," Narukami said.  
"Agreed, we can do that at school," Michael said before turning back to Kyrie, "So, you're a freshman, eh?"  
Kyrie nodded.  
Michael gave a wry smile to Narukami, "They make them smaller every year."

A panting Michael finally arrived at the grocery department of Junes. Yukiko barely noticed him as she studied the names of the items diligently.  
"Sorry I'm late," Michael said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.  
"It's okay. What was your meeting about?" she asked, setting a can she had been examining back down on the shelf.  
"Little did we know, we all had a secret admirer," Michael replied.  
Yukiko looked at him curiously, "A secret admirer?"  
"Yeah, a little girl from Yasogami, a first year specifically. It would seem she's observed us carrying out our extracurricular activities."  
Yukiko stared at him for a moment, but then her eyes widened, "You mean the TV?"  
Michael nodded and sighed, "I thought we had been careful."  
"What's she gonna do?" Yukiko asked, shifting uncomfortably.  
"Join us, apparently."  
Yukiko's jaw dropped, "Join us?!"  
"Yep. We're gonna introduce her to the rest of the group at Kanji's debriefing. Figured we'd kill two birds with one stone that way."  
Yukiko's look of concern did not vanish, "But she doesn't have a Persona yet, does she? What could she do in there?"  
Michael chuckled dryly, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. Trust me, it'll all get cleared up at Kanji's debrief."  
"If you say so."  
"I do, I did, and I'd rather not say it again. So, what's our agenda for today?"  
Yukiko reached into the pocket of her cardigan and pulled out a piece of paper.  
"Just a bit of grocery shopping, I wrote down what I need so this shouldn't take long," she explained.  
Michael glanced over the list and nodded, "Getting some more culinary practice in, eh?"  
She nodded, "Yes, I hope it will be fruitful this time."  
She fiddled with her hair shyly, "I've decided I'm starting over with the basics of the basics."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "And that would be?"  
Yukiko's face reddened in embarrassment, "Miso soup."  
"That's a good idea. Soup is usually a pretty simple dish."  
"That's what the chef said, but no matter what I do, it never comes out right. I've been following the directions to the letter, but to no avail."  
 _Admittedly, I have no sugarcoated explanation for that one,_ Michael thought.  
"Well, don't let the chef hover over you too much. You gotta practice on your own. Like the old saying goes, 'too many chefs spoil the soup,'" he replied instead.  
Yukiko nodded, "I agree. There's no point unless I am able to do this by myself."  
Yukiko paused for a moment to examine the labels of a few more items before continuing.  
"The cooks try to help me all the time. At first they just give me advice, but after awhile they wind up taking the knife from me."  
Michael smiled wryly, "Chefs have been known to be very passionate people."  
Yukiko giggled, "Yes, that's quite applicable in this case. The problem is that, even if the meal turns out wonderfully, it doesn't matter because I didn't do it myself."  
She turned away as her face reddened once more, "I try not to be mean, but I finally told them to leave me alone and let me make it myself, but they still stay and watch. Do you think they're THAT worried about my cooking?"  
Michael thumbed his chin in thought for a moment before meeting her gaze, "I think they're trying to look out for you."  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "Looking out for me?"  
"Yeah, they obviously care about you. I have never met an employee who would take time out of their own day to help their boss' kid learn a new skill."  
"You...you really think so?"  
Michael shrugged, "Yeah, of course. Don't you?"  
Yukiko looked off to the side, "I guess I never really noticed it."  
"You're just have a modest mindset."  
Yukiko was quiet for a moment before a small smile appeared on her lips, "Last time, the head chef took the knife from me, shouting 'I can't stand to watch anymore!' and made the rest. The waitress saw him do that and said 'Yukiko wants to make it herself, even if it is awful...'"  
Michael returned her smile, "That's actually pretty cute."  
Yukiko's smile widened, "Before I knew it, I was 'studying how to cook for a boy I like'. My parents got involved and then it all exploded from there," she giggled, "Funny, isn't it?"  
"It's my personal belief that parents are instinctively embarrassing," Michael said with a smirk, "Did you tell them otherwise?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, I went along with it. I still can't bring myself to tell them that I'm leaving."  
"Understandable, a white lie here and there never hurt anyone."  
Yukiko turned her head from him and muttered, "...Maybe it wasn't a lie."  
"Pardon?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko turned back to him, flustered, "Oh n-nothing, just..." she bit her lip and blushed before meeting his gaze again, "Just, try my food again, okay?"  
Michael smiled through his beard, "You betcha."  
Yukiko shook her head and looked around, "Umm, oh yeah, shopping!"  
Michael nodded, "Yes'm. You lead and I'll follow."

 **Please don't forget to leave a review! Always interested to hear what the community at large has to say :)**


	29. June 6th

**Michael King is an OC created by me (SheriffKing). Kyrie is an OC created by XxWolfLord95xX.**

June 6th

"Team, this is Kyrie. Kyrie, this is team," Narukami said warmly, gesturing to the group assembled before him on the school rooftop.  
"Um, h-hello," Kyrie said shyly.  
"Nice to meet you, Kyrie!" Chie said cheerily.  
"Welcome to the team," Yosuke said in turn.  
"Michael-kun told me a lot about you, I'm looking forward to our friendship," Yukiko said politely.  
"Glad to see you showed up, kid," Michael said.  
Impressed by the welcoming vibe, Kyrie's nervous stance softened and she smiled.  
"I hope I meet your expectations," Kyrie replied politely.  
"Don't push yourself. Just sit and listen for today, get a feel for the dynamic we've cultivated here," Michael explained.  
"Sheesh, he makes it sound like there's rhyme and reason to this," Chie giggled.  
Behind them, the rooftop door opened and out stepped a bewildered Kanji Tatsumi.  
"There he is, the man of the hour," Michael announced dramatically.  
"H-hi there, Michael-senpai," Kanji stammered.  
Chie snorted a laugh, "Whoa, what's with the manners all of the sudden?"  
Kanji rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, um...I didn't know you guys were my senpai before."  
The group shared a chuckle, except for Kyrie who sat between Narukami and Michael, glancing between them all in diligent study.  
"Listen, thanks a bunch," Kanji said earnestly, "Though I don't really remember what happened..."  
The Investigation Team exchanged glances.  
"There are a few things we'd like you to tell us about," Yukiko said.  
"Like what?"  
Chie spoke this time, "First off, what's with that boy we saw you hanging out with?"  
Kanji visibly drew back in dismay.  
"We know his name is Naoto Shirogene, but what did he want with you?" Michael asked, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.  
"I really don't know that much about him," Kanji stammered.  
"But you walked home from school with him, what did you guys talk about?" Chie pressed.  
Kanji thought for a moment, but was still clearly uncomfortable with the line of questioning.  
"Well...He just asked stuff like...If anything different had been happening to me lately. I really don't know where my head was at at the time, but," Kanji averted their gaze and flushed, "I just kinda blurted out that I wanted to see him again."  
"To a guy?" Chie began, but was cut off by Michael.  
"Understood, continue," he said quickly.  
Chie raised an eyebrow at the stoic Michael who did not return her gaze.  
Kanji nodded, "I don't really get it myself. Girls can be so loud and obnoxious, so y'know...I really don't like dealing with 'em."  
"Present company excluded, I'm sure?" Michael said with a hint of caution in his voice.  
"O-Of course!" Kanji corrected himself, "It's just that guys are a lot more laid-back."  
Kanji began to redden again, "So, uh, I started thinking...What if I'm the type who never gets interested in girls? Obviously, I couldn't accept that, so I just kept spinning it around and around in my head..."  
Yosuke chimed in, "I think a lot of guys can understand the feeling more relaxed around dudes."  
"Yeah, it's pretty natural," Narukami agreed, "but other than that, how are you feeling?"  
Kanji's expression returned to normal, "Oh, I'm feeling fine now. I mean, it was all in my head when you get right down to it. I was the one shutting out that stuff."  
Kanji fiddled nervously with the bullet casing that hung around his neck as a necklace, "So, uhh...my family's run a historic textile shop for generations- oh, yeah, you already know that. My parents were kinda weird...They'd say stuff like, 'Dyes are one with the universe,' and 'Cloth is alive'. "  
Michael nodded approvingly, "Passion for one's craft is a quality I admire."  
Kanji smirked, "Yeah, I guess it kinda rubbed off on me. I've been interested in sewing and stuff since I was a little kid, but the second I say stuff like that, people look at me funny."  
Kanji's expression showed a trace amount of what could only be described as anger mixed with fatigue, "Girls make fun of me, the people in the neighborhood treat me like I'm some zoo animal, so I was sick of everything. When I finally got to my senses, I was running wild."  
Kanji's eyes widened as if he suddenly became completely aware of the audience before him, "Shit! What's up with me today? I'm rambling on and on about myself," he waved a hand in a shooing motion, "Just forget all that. Man, I must look pretty lame right now."  
"Kinda." Yosuke shrugged, earning him a punch from Chie.  
"Nah, you're actually a pretty cool guy," Narukami said.  
"Boy howdy," Michael agreed.  
Kanji smiled, "Nah, I'm really not. It's funny, I never talked about this stuff before."  
"You're welcome to talk to us about whatever you want," Yukiko said sweetly.  
"Thanks, I guess I just never had anyone to tell it to before."  
"Come to any revelations now that this is all out in the open?" Michael asked.  
"Yeah, I think I was never scared of girls specifically. I was scared of people in general, but now that's all behind me," Kanji said with conviction.  
"Wow, I'm surprised. You're a good kid," Chie said.  
Kanji's face hardened and he flushed again, "D-don't call me a good kid."  
Yosuke laughed, "Don't get all embarrassed. You're a big guy, you can take it."  
The group shared another laugh at the flustered Kanji.  
"Hey, is there anything you remember after you ran into us that second time? You know, after you chased after us and said you were gonna 'take us down'?" Yosuke asked.  
Kanji thought for a moment, "Uh...I went home...I was pissed and was gonna sleep it off in my room. Wait, I think someone came."  
The group's eyes were immediately upon him.  
"To your house?! Who was it?!" Yosuke demanded.  
Kanji was taken aback, "Well, it was more of just a feeling I had. I'm not sure if anyone actually came."  
"A 'feeling'? Seriously?!" Chie growled.  
Michael sighed, "I don't suppose your shop has CCTV?"  
Kanji shook his head, "Sorry."  
Michael shrugged it off, "Anything else?"  
Kanji continued, "Other than that? I remember some weird, dark, entrance thingy. When I woke up, I was laid out on the floor of that sauna place."  
Kyrie leaned into Michael's ear, "Sauna?" She whispered.  
"We'll explain later," he whispered back.  
"A dark entrance...Could it have been a TV screen?" Yukiko asked.  
Kanji raised his eyebrows, "TV screen? Now that you mention it, maybe so. Why do you ask?"  
Yukiko looked down at Michael who was sitting beside her before shaking her head, "Oh, no reason. I was just wondering."  
Kanji was about to inquire further, but was cut off by another question by Yosuke.  
"Did the police ask you anything?" he asked.  
"Well, my mom had called the cops to look for me, so they questioned me for awhile. I told them exactly what I just told you and they looked at me like I was crazy."  
Michael ran a hand over his beard, "Sounds familiar."  
Yukiko nodded solemnly.  
Kanji glanced around in confusion, "What, you guys playing detective or something?"  
"They're not playing," Kyrie muttered.  
The group turned to face her in surprise, causing her to shrink under the scrutiny.  
"I didn't mean that in a bad way," Kanji said apologetically.  
"It's okay, we know what you meant. To answer your question, yeah we kind of are," Chie replied.  
Kanji suddenly looked excited, "Anything I can do to help? I mean, if there's some bastard out there who put me through this, I want to make 'em pay."  
Michael clapped his hands together, "Capital! Simply capital!"  
"Seriously? Awesome! You'd make a great addition to our team!" Yosuke agreed before turning to Narukami, "What do you say, leader?"  
Narukami chuckled, clearly thinking the question was silly, "Of course he can."  
Kanji pumped his fist, "Thank you, sir! I'll put my life on the line for you guys!"  
Michael looked at Narukami, "And another stray follows you home."  
"Well, if we're gonna welcome aboard a new member..." Yosuke began.  
"Oh, should we take him to our special headquarters?" Yukiko finished.  
"Ugh, we're STILL calling it that?" Chie groaned.  
Michael shrugged, "As long as everyone's boat is floated, sure."  
Kanji looked at them in awe, "Whoa, what's that?!"  
Yosuke got up and clapped him on the shoulder, "C'mon, we'll show you."

The group sat around their usual table in the Junes food court, looking in disgust at the top of Kanji's head as he buried his face in a plate of food.  
"Man, you eat a lot. Were you listening to anything we were saying?" Yosuke said with a wince as Kanji chomped down on another bite of steak.  
Kanji looked up, his lips covered in sauce, "Shurr, I waf lifnin," he managed through the food in his mouth.  
Yosuke looked away quickly, "Gah! Close your mouth!"  
Michael leaned over to Yukiko, "One day, that'll be me with something you make."  
Yukiko flushed, "Stop it!"  
The group turned to look at them, but lost interest when Kanji finally swallowed and began to speak clearly again.  
"So, uh...Wait, someone's killin' people with a TV? What, is he beatin' them to death with one?"  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose, "No, they weren't being beaten with a TV! Were you listening at all?!"  
Kanji raised an eyebrow in confusion.  
"Don't worry, he'll understand once he sees the place with his own eyes," Chie said.  
Narukami turned to Kyrie who had been nursing a small drink, "You should come along too."  
Kyrie looked startled, but nodded, "Oh, okay."  
Chie sighed, "But the way it happened was the same way with Michael and Yukiko. The killer kidnapped them first and threw them into the TV."  
Yukiko nodded, "Yeah...it's scary."  
Michael looked at her, "It won't happen again. We're prepared now."  
She nodded again.  
A couple of other Yasogami high school students sat down at a table next to them, the two boys talked loudly and the team could not help but overhear them,  
"Yo, that show's been pretty crazy lately, huh?" one said.  
"Yeah, I keep wondering who will show up next," the other replied.  
"Hark!" Michael hissed, and the group gave the boys their full, yet discreet, attention.  
"That last guy, I knew it would be him before he even came on."  
"Oh yeah, him. What's that dude's name again? That first year who leads that biker gang..."  
The team froze and looked at a steaming Kanji who wasted no time in retaliating.  
"Who the Hell d'you think was next?" He growled and jumped to his feet.  
The two boys spun around to face him and their faces betrayed their terror.  
"His name is Kanji Tatsumi," Kanji went on through clenched teeth, "and he didn't lead a biker gang, he's the one who beat the SHIT out of those leathered-up pansies!"  
The boys remained frozen in place.  
Kanji took a step towards them and raised his fists, "So just who are YOU two dipshits?!"  
The boys found their legs again and jumped up from their seats before taking off out of the food court.  
"I've never seen anything haul ass that fast before in my life," Michael commented, impressed.  
Kanji spat on the ground.  
"Boring," he said before taking his seat once more.  
Chie looked down sadly, "I can't stand it. Sure, they have no idea that it's connected to the murders, but still...how can they talk about their own schoolmate like that?"  
Yosuke shook his head, "They're like onlookers at a car crash. As long as nothing's happening to them, they're dying to see it."  
"There are gonna be rubberneckers no matter where you go on this earth, let's keep our eye on the ball here," Michael said.  
Yosuke sighed, "Yeah, but we don't even know who's gonna be targeted anymore. This particular case threw any profile we had out the window."  
"You're right, it disproved out assumption that all of the primary targets are female," Yukiko said.  
"Exactly. Kanji was clearly the sole target here, unlike the last case where there was room for doubt," Michael added.  
"Wasn't there another thing we thought they had in common?" Chie asked.  
"People involved in the initial case about Ms. Yamano are the targets, does that still hold up?" Yukiko asked.  
Narukami cupped his chin, "It's still remotely possible."  
"Well, Yukiko, Mikey, and Kanji-kun were all technically involved," Chie observed.  
"I don't know...Kanji's mother and Yukiko's mother both dealt directly with Ms. Yamano. Yukiko and Kanji are merely their children, and I guess I could be seen as a temporarily adopted child of Mrs. Amagi, but that's a real stretch," Michael reasoned out loud.  
"And then there's Saki," Yosuke said, his voice betraying his lingering grief.  
Michael nodded, "Saki-senpai, God rest her soul, was only connected by finding the body. Had it been her mother who found the body, this pattern might've held."  
The group all looked down at their laps in thought and dismay.  
"You guys sayin' you don't have any clues? Well listen up, 'cause I got something big," Kanji announced and pulled a small, folded paper from his pocket, proudly holding up for everyone to see.  
"What's that?" Yosuke asked.  
"So, when I made my comeback at school today, there was an annoying brat hanging around. Turns out, he was snooping around about Senpai's and my disappearance, so I took this from him. I dunno what the hell it is, though."  
"...but you took it anyway?" Chie asked incredulously.  
"Pass it here," Narukami said and Kanji obliged.  
Narukami studied the paper for a few moments, "A few lists are written on here."  
Michael examined it over his shoulder, "Hmm, 'enka album chart', 'female announcer ranking', and 'list of TV programs'..." Michael said, reading the list titles out loud.  
"Do they say anything relevant to the case?" Yukiko asked.  
"Under 'enka album chart', there's an entry stating that Misuzu Hiiragi's newest album has hit number one in sales," Narukami replied.  
"Isn't she the wife of that councilman who had the affair with Ms. Yamano?" Yukiko asked.  
"Yeah, that's her. I hear her album sales have skyrocketed since the publicity from the incident," Chie added, "if she's using this to her advantage, that's pretty sketchy."  
Michael nodded, "Making a mental note of that."  
"She has an alibi though, so I don't think this could involve her," Yosuke said.  
Michael looked annoyed, "As I said before, someone could be pushed into a TV and wind up dead days or even weeks later. Alibis mean nothing in this situation."  
Yosuke winced, "W-well, what do the other ones say?"  
"Hm, under 'female announcer ranking', it has an entry that shows the popularity levels of local TV announcers in the month of March. Looks like Ms. Yamano was around the lower-middle of this list," Narukami explained.  
"Hmm, March..." Michael thought out loud.  
"Wait, that was right before the incident, wasn't it?" Yukiko commented.  
"Does that mean she wasn't well known until the affair?" Chie asked.  
"These are probably this guy's own personal rankings, so it's nothing important. What else is there?" Yosuke said.  
"Under 'list of TV programs', it says..." Narukami began, but then froze.  
"It says...what?" Yosuke asked.  
"Narukami-kun?" Yukiko said with concern.  
"It says 'Mayumi Yamano 4/11, Saki Konishi 4/13," Michael said grimly.  
"What're those dates? April 11th? 13th?" Yosuke wondered out loud.  
"Wait, they found the first body on the day that school started, that would be the 12th. The 11th is the day before that..." her voice trailed off.  
"I know I can't forget the day Saki-senpai's body was found...That was the 15th," Yosuke said darkly, "So then what are these dates? What does 'List of TV Programs' mean? What's Saki Konishi 4/13?"  
Narukami thought for a moment before speaking again, "The day she was on TV."  
Yosuke nodded, "You're right, there's no doubt about it."  
"I saw that too. The news was interviewing her 'cause she found the first body," Chie said.  
"Then that must mean that 'Mayumi Yamano 4/11' means that was the day she last appeared on TV, too," Yukiko reasoned.  
Chie nearly jumped out of her seat, "That's right! She was on! I remember now! That was when the affair hit the news!"  
"Wait a sec, Yukiko, Michael, didn't you two get shown on TV, too? When did that air?!" Yosuke asked, excitedly.  
"I-I think it was one of the days we were absent from school...Um..." Yukiko thought out loud.  
"It was April 15th," Kyrie, who had been quietly observing, chimed in.  
"Wow, you remembered that?" Michael asked.  
Kyrie nodded quickly, "Mhm."  
"Right after that, we were kidnapped," Yukiko said.  
On a roll, Yosuke turned to Kanji, "What about the television special you were on?!"  
"Oh yeah, that thing. Damn show made my mom go apeshit on me and-"  
"The date! Just tell us the date!" Yosuke pressed.  
Kanji shrank under the sudden outburst, "Uhh, I don't really remember the exact date, but it wasn't too long before I met you guys."  
"The date may not matter, but rather the fact that everyone who was kidnapped was shown on TV," Michael reasoned.  
"That's exactly what I was going for, everyone was on TV before they disappeared," Yosuke said confidently.  
"So you guys think the killer is targeting people he sees on TV?" Chie asked.  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "I was so caught up with the news reports and inn business that I didn't notice that similarity at all."  
"There's no way it's a coincidence," Narukami agreed.  
"Michael, have there been any more incidents at the inn?" Yosuke asked.  
Michael shook his head, "Things have been calming down lately, not that much action around there anymore."  
"That backs up our newest theory. When the killer failed to kill you and Yukiko, they just moved on to Kanji. There was no second attempt because you two never went back on TV," Yosuke explained.  
"So the killer is following a strict rule," Michael surmised.  
"Wow, I never thought that the killer could've targeted the same victim again," Chie said, somewhat ashamed of the lack of foresight.  
"Michael-kun and my father spent a whole day installing new security around the inn for that very reason," Yukiko said.  
"Common sense precautions," Michael said, waving off the comment.  
"Regardless, I think we can make a definite connection between the killings and the TV broadcasts," Yosuke said.  
"Agreed, plus the Midnight Channel being somewhat of a TV program itself could be a symbolic connection," Narukami added.  
Yosuke rubbed his head, "But what's the motive here? Why kill someone just for being on TV?"  
"Time and time again it's been proven that many serial killers' motives can only be known to the killers themselves. Any life event that they solely experienced could have seeded a violent intent regarding certain conditions," Michael explained.  
"Ugh, then we really haven't gotten anywhere!" Yosuke cried in exasperation, "Why can't I be smarter?"  
"There, there," Kyrie peeped.  
"If anything, we now have an even greater advanced warning as to who will be taken next, aside from the Midnight Channel. We'll just have to be happy with that for now," Michael said calmly.  
Kanji glanced around at the sullen faces, "Dude, why beat yourselves up? I think you guys are awesome."  
"Me too," Kyrie said, "You're heroes!"  
"Heroes?" Yosuke echoed, the word sounding foreign in his voice.  
"Exactly. You guys noticed what was happening to me and even risked your lives to stop it, even after all the news and the cops said I was a loser delinquent. That's more than enough to be heroes."  
Yukiko nodded, "The rest of you rescued Michael-kun and I, too. The mystery may not be solved yet, but there are three people who otherwise would not be alive today."  
"You're right, but-" Yosuke began, but Yukiko cut him off.  
"What's more, everyone's prediction that Kanji-kun would be next was right on the nose," she went on.  
"I know right?! We were so close!" Chie said with frustration.  
Kanji glanced back and forth between them, "Wait, you guys seriously knew I was gonna be taken next? You should've come earlier, then."  
They all turned to look at him, "Before or after you would 'take us down'?" Michael said sarcastically.  
"Fair enough. But seriously dude, was the sand in the eyes really necessary?" Kanji asked, remembering the unpleasant memory.  
"Yep."  
"...ah."  
"Either way, if we know this much, I think we can outsmart the killer next time. This is a countdown to their arrest," Chie said positively.  
"It's also possible that Kanji-kun was the last target," Yukiko suggested.  
"Until someone else shows up on TV," Michael grunted.  
"Maybe the killer has learned their lesson after being thwarted twice," Yosuke suggested, "but still, we should keep an eye on the Midnight Channel when it rains like always."  
Chie perked up, "Oh that reminds me, the school campout's next week. I hope it doesn't rain."  
Chie glanced between Kanji and Kyrie, "First-years and second-years are going together, so we'll see you two there too."  
"That sounds like it will be fun," Kyrie said with a slight smile.  
"Seriously? School, huh? What a drag," Kanji groaned before his expression brightened again, "Yo, you guys mind if I order another grilled steak? I'm gonna finish this one up while the other's on the grill. We're...going Dutch on the meal, right?"  
Ignoring him, Chie turned to the others, "We should get going, it's about time our new teammates have met the Bear."  
Kanji looked around in confusion, "Wait, what? Okay, whatever, I'll get something cheap, like ramen. Or wait, maybe a takoyaki set? Man, I can't decide."  
Yukiko looked him in the eye with a deadpan expression, "None of it," she said tersely.  
Kanji looked like he had been slapped across the face, "What?!"

The group was greeted in the fog-covered lobby of the backside of the TV by an eager Teddie.  
"Beary big welcome back!" Teddie said happily.  
The previously-modest Kyrie abandoned all her tact and raced to embrace Teddie, "He's so cute!"  
Teddie flushed under the attention, "Who is this beary nice girl?"  
"Her name's Kyrie, we're giving her a trial run as our official medic," Michael explained.  
Narukami turned to Kanji, "Kanji, this is Teddie."  
Kanji studied the bear who was still enveloped in Kyrie's hug, "Oh yeah, I remember this thing. Didn't realize it was a bear though," Kanji thought for a moment and turned to the others, "Hey, why is it a bear?"  
"Dunno," Yosuke shrugged.  
Teddie's face fell, "Me neither. I've been wondering that myself..."  
"Don't sound so sad, Teddie," Kyrie said, hugging him tighter.  
"I guess it is kinda cute," Kanji murmured, "mind if I pet you?"  
"No touching allowed, mister!" Teddie rebuked.  
Kanji scowled, "Hey, don't give me any lip, bear! And why does she get to touch you?!"  
"Because Ky-chan is a cutie!"  
Yukiko giggled, getting Kanji's attention.  
"By the way, I've been wonderin', you were kidnapped too, right, Yukiko-senpai?" he asked.  
Yukiko was taken aback, "Huh? Yeah, it wasn't long before you. Michael-kun and I were thrown in together."  
"So, that means your inner feelings came out to everyone too, right?"  
Yukiko looked away, "Th-that's ... Um..."  
"That's where you stop talking, Kanji-kun," Michael snapped.  
"Whoa, calm down. I just wanted to know what it was like when Senpai-"  
Yukiko cut Kanji off with a hard and audible slap across the face. Yukiko immediately looked apologetic.  
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit you that hard!"  
Kanji rubbed the side of his face, "My jaw..."  
"I'll try to be a little more gentle next time," Yukiko replied.  
"...more gentle?" Kanji slowly reddened.  
"What a couple of dimwits," Chie groaned.  
Kyrie got up and walked over to Kanji, "Let me see where she hit you."  
"Huh? Okay," Kanji took his hand of his face and let Kyrie examine it.  
"Here, this should help," she took a leaf out of her school bag and placed it against his cheek.  
"Hey what are you-" Kanji ceased his protests and rubbed his cheek again.  
"Whoa, the pain's gone," he said, mystified.  
"If any of you were still skeptic of Kyrie's abilities, I challenge you to doubt them once more," Michael said smugly.  
"Ky-chan is beary wise! For that, I need to give her a present for joining the team," Teddie reached into the pocket of his suit and pulled out a small pair of reading-style glasses.  
Kyrie slid the glasses on and looked around, "Wow, the fog is gone!"  
"That's how we see around here, don't lose them," Narukami explained.  
"And as a congratulations for joining the team AND not being killed by your Shadow, I have some for you too, Kanji," Teddie said, producing a familiar pair of glasses.  
Kanji looked them over, "These don't look anything like you guys' do, though."  
"Just hurry and put them on!" Yukiko urged him.  
"S-sure, but-" he tried to protest.  
"Do it," Yukiko snapped darkly.  
Without any further hesitation, Kanji did as he was told. The contrast of the bulbous red-nosed glasses with the false mustache and swirly lens design resting upon the face of a man who dressed like a gang member sent Yukiko into a laughing fit.  
"It looks perfect on you...hee hee HAHAHA," she managed.  
"Haha, damn dude, she's right. They look great on you," Yosuke added.  
"Teddie has outdone himself this time," Narukami smirked.  
Even Kyrie was giggling, "Oh my gosh, why do those even exist?" she asked in between breaths.  
Yukiko had taken to wearing identical glasses around the inn when she was out of the public areas, so Michael had since gotten used to seeing them. Even so, he could not help but smile and shake his head.  
"I had a normal pair made for you, but Yuki-chan insisted on this one first. She just wouldn't budge," Teddie explained.  
Kanji ripped off the glasses and threw them in Teddie's face, "Oh yeah? Real funny, you smartass!"  
"Why are you taking it out on me?!" Teddie exclaimed, taking out another pair of glasses.  
"Gimme those!" Kanji snapped, grabbing the pair out of Teddie's hands and putting them on.  
To his dismay, they were an exact copy of the previous ones.  
Yukiko's laughing fit was renewed with increased vigor and even Michael burst into hysterics.  
"Okay, that's pretty funny, stupid as Hell, but funny," Michael snickered.  
"You took my spare pair! You must really like those, Kanji," Teddie said.  
"Oh my...oh my sides," Chie wheezed.  
Kanji took off the glasses and spun around, chucking them off the ledge of the lobby into the foggy depths.  
"Okay, for real this time, here are your real ones. As you well know, it's been a difficult process getting them to you," Teddie said, handing Kanji his real present.  
Kanji threw on the small black-tinted glasses, but was still in a rage, "Why would you bother making a spare piece of useless crap?!"  
The group was still laughing.  
Kanji growled, "Dammit! Oh man, I'm gonna get you guys for this someday!"

The group wrapped up their orientation for Kanji and Kyrie. Before they went their separate ways home, Michael stopped Kanji.  
"Kanji-kun, hold on a sec," Michael said.  
"Hm? What's up?"  
"I hope we didn't mess with you too much back there. I wanted you to know that you're a valued addition to the team and I looked forward to working with you," Michael said, extending a hand.  
Kanji accepted it, "It's cool, man. It'll be fun taking down this scumbag together."  
"Boy howdy. By the way, I wanted to say thanks for the little bird plushie."  
Kanji tilted his head, "Bird plushie? Oh right, that thing. I'm glad you liked it. Didn't realize you liked birds that much."  
Michael chuckled, "I don't, it was for a friend. You do great work, though. I would like to send some gifts back home, if I paid you would you be willing to make them for me?"  
Kanji's eyes widened, "Wow, uh, sure? Man, sorry, I never thought someone would offer to pay me for this stuff."  
"It's top quality craftsmanship, you should consider putting them for sale at your family's shop," Michael suggested.  
Kanji's face reddened, "N-no way, it's bad enough you guys know about my hobby, I don't need the whole damn town knowing, too."  
Michael shrugged, "I understand, but my offer still stands. Should the mood strike you, give me a call."  
Kanji nodded, "Yeah, maybe I'll do that."  
"Michael-kun!" Yukiko's voice called out.  
"Coming!" Michael called back before turning back to Kanji, "Thanks again."  
"Yeah, you too."  
With a parting wave, Michael trotted back to Yukiko's side.  
"What was that about?" she asked.  
"Nothing important."  
Yukiko was about to inquire further when a voice behind them stopped them.  
"Excuse me, Michael-senpai? Yukiko-senpai?" Kyrie said.  
"Kyrie-chan, are you all caught up on everything?" Michael asked.  
Kyrie nodded, "Yes, I think so."  
"Those healing leaves of yours are truly incredible," Yukiko said sweetly.  
Kyrie smiled, "Thank you, I hope they'll come in useful. But, um, I have a question."  
"Shoot," Michael said.  
"Can I go in to play with Teddie?" she asked softly.  
Michael and Yukiko looked at each other.  
"Well, it's a rule in our group that none of us are to go in alone, especially not someone without a Persona," Yukiko explained.  
"What's a Persona? You never said anything about a Persona." Kyrie asked.  
"It's really something you'll have to see to believe," Michael said.  
Yukiko nodded, "Exactly. It's not really something we can explain."  
Kyrie looked crestfallen.  
Michael sighed and smiled at her, "Look, I'll talk it over with Yu. If he and I decide it's safe, we may figure out a way to get you in there safely to play with Teddie during our downtime. Is that acceptable?"  
Kyrie looked up at him and smiled, "Okay! I'm going to hold you to that!"  
"Good, it'll keep me honest."  
Kyrie turned and waved, "I'll see you later! Good night!"  
Michael and Yukiko returned her wave, "Good night."  
After Kyrie had disappeared down the street, Yukiko spoke.  
"What a sweet girl," she said.  
"Those are the most dangerous," Michael said with mocking ominous voice.  
Following a playful punch from Yukiko, the two turned down the street and to the bus stop.


	30. June 7th

June 7th

"Ooooh man, those noodles really hit the spot!" Chie said, the latest in her myriad of praise for the microwavable delicacy.  
"Boy howdy. Nothing like the ones back home," Michael agreed.  
The group had pushed their desks together to ease communication during their lunch break. Narukami sat at the head of the table they had created with Yosuke next to Chie and Michael next to Yukiko.  
"I was reading these aren't that good for you," Yukiko said with apprehension.  
"Pft, that certainly doesn't seem to be stopping you. Your bowl's emptier than mine," Yosuke teased.  
Yukiko was about to respond, but Michael cut in.  
"Now, now. I'm sure our extracurricular activity burns more than enough calories for us to treat ourselves more than the average teenager," he said, spinning his fork around in the bowl.  
Despite the cultural inconsistency, Michael refused to shift his primary culinary utensil to the chopsticks. In a flash of foresight he still holds pride for to this day, he had remembered to pack a fork before he left the States.  
"That's true. I guess as long as Chie keeps showering this food with praise she won't be pelting me with insults," Yosuke said dryly.  
Yukiko looked up, a thoughtful expression on her face, "Showers...that reminds me, the rainy season is coming up."  
"Yeah?" Yosuke replied indifferently.  
"That's worrisome," Michael grumbled, setting down his fork.  
"Once it starts, it'll be raining almost every day. We'll need to keep a constant eye on the Midnight Channel," Yukiko explained.  
The group immediately stopped their dining and let out a collective groan, their chopsticks falling to the sides of their bowls limply.  
"Crap, I didn't even think of that. Well, so it goes. Heh, I thought you were just worried about the school campout," Yosuke said, surprisingly withholding sarcastic complaints.  
"That would suck if it got rained out," Narukami agreed.  
Chie looked between the two, "Uh, why are you so excited about it?"  
"Oh, that's right. It's the first time for you three," Yukiko said, referring to the boys.  
Michael shrugged, "It sounds fun. Nothing like falling asleep under the stars."  
Chie's expression of confusion became more pronounced, "Uh, you do realize the only purpose of this campout is to 'develop a love for one's hometown within young people', right?"  
"Uh, duh? They tell us that straight out," Yosuke said dismissively, "what about it?"  
Chie winced, "Well you see, the way we supposedly develop that love is by picking up the trash off the mountain."  
Yosuke was visibly taken aback, "Picking up trash?! 'Develop a love' my ass! That's slave labor!"  
"Oh come on. We're doing our duty as stewards of the environment and we get to take a nice stroll in the country while we're at it. I can think of worse ways to spend an afternoon," Michael rebutted before taking a sip of his water.  
Yosuke looked at him in disgust, "The more you talk, the more I'm convinced you're some teacher-sympathizer plant."  
Michael winked from around the side of his water bottle as he brought it back up to his lips, "You caught me."  
"While I wouldn't offer as much praise as Mikey-kun did, the nighttime portion is kinda fun. We get to cook our own meals with mess kits and sleep in tents," Chie explained.  
"Plus, the five of us are in the same group," Yukiko added.  
Yosuke's face immediately brightened up, "The same group, huh? Does that mean we get to sleep together at night, too?!" He asked excitedly.  
Michael eyed him with disdain, "You're gonna give your frown whiplash turning it upside down like that," he quipped.  
Chie scowled at Yosuke, "You wish, perv! Guys and girls sleep in different tents!" Chie scowl intensified, "I'm warning you, if you leave your tent at night, you'll be expelled on the spot!"  
Yosuke slumped back into his chair, his face looking as though his soul had been crushed, "Ugh, this gets worse and worse. I thought this was gonna be fun," he whined.  
"It's only for one night and we disband at noon the next day. It doesn't last very long, if that's of any consolation," Yukiko offered.  
The corners of Yosuke's mouth showed no signs of rising.  
Chie looked up as if remembering something, "Oh, we did have some fun at the river last year before going home though."  
Yosuke perked up again, "Do they let you go swimming?"  
Chie thought for a moment, "I think so? There's usually someone who takes a dip, although we didn't."  
Yosuke smirked to himself, "I see, so you can swim in the river," he muttered with a snicker.  
Michael shook his head, "That's one train of thought that's destined to go ninety miles an hour off a three-mile grade."  
Chie and Yukiko looked at each other in confusion before the group returned to their lunch.

The dismissal bell rang and the students gathered up their school supplies. Michael stuffed his notebooks beside the plethora of gardening tools.  
"Oh, Michael-kun, are you going to the shrine?" Yukiko asked, hearing the metallic sounds of the tools in his backpack.  
Michael nodded, "Yeah, the rain makes the weeds grow faster than Lee turned down Lincoln."  
Yukiko giggled, "You and your sayings..."  
Michael smirked and finished packing up, "Let your parents know where I'll be, if they need me."  
"Actually," Yukiko said, getting Michael's attention, "I was wondering if you could use some company."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "If you'd like," he said.  
"I promise I won't get in your way," Yukiko said hastily.  
Michael chuckled, "That's not my concern. I just hope you know that I'll just be pulling weeds the whole time, nothing particularly entertaining."  
Yukiko shook her head, "That's okay. I enjoy the shrine's atmosphere. Plus, I want to pay my respects."  
Michael nodded, "Can't fault you for that. I'll appreciate the company. Here, let me take your bag."

Yukiko sat upon the steps of the shrine and surveyed the landscape as Michael set about his work pulling fistfuls of weeds from the grass and gathering up piles of fallen leaves.  
"I like to come here on my own every so often, it's so nice and quiet," Yukiko said into the air.  
Michael nodded as he scooted a small pile of leaves into a larger one with his foot, "Sure is."  
A brief silence passed between them as the wind gently blew through the branches.  
"What made you start coming here?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael dabbed at his forehead with his sleeve, "Someone had to."  
Yukiko studied him as he set back down on his knees to collect a bundle of debris into his arms.  
"What about you?" he asked as he dropped the rotted foliage into a trashcan.  
"Other than to just find some peace and quiet? Every now and then the waitresses and I come here together, usually before a big guest arrives. We make our annual hatsumode visits here and the exam charm I wrote is here somewhere too," she explained.  
Michael patted down his arms and hands, bits of dirt flying into the air around them, "You're a pious girl, that's good. I reckon it has done wonders for your temperament."  
Yukiko looked off to the side, "But...once I leave town, I won't be able to come back here again, will I?"  
Michael, sensing where the conversation was going, walked over to take a seat next to her on the steps, "Well I suppose you wouldn't be able to come by as often, but it's not like you're going to be banned from Inaba for life."  
She sighed, "Maybe not officially, but there's no way I could face my parents again."  
Michael nodded slowly, "That's a big sacrifice."  
Yukiko was about to reply, but they both started as a familiar figure came up the walkway to the shrine. Yukiko sprang to her feet when she realized it was a waitress from the Amagi Inn.  
"Oh, Yuki-chan!" the waitress said cheerfully before noticing Michael was there too, "Oh my, and Michael-kun?" her sweet smile turned into a sly smirk.  
"K-Kasai-san, what are you doing here?" Yukiko asked.  
Kasai turned her attention away from Michael to respond to Yukiko, "Just taking a little breather after placing my order at the liquor store," she let out an exaggerated sigh, "so now you know how I spend my time off."  
Yukiko shook her head, "Oh, I won't tell anyone..." she stammered.  
Kasai laughed, "I was just kidding, you are always so serious, Yuki-chan!"  
Yukiko flushed.  
Kasai glanced between Yukiko and Michael, giving the former a wink, "So it's true, Michael-kun is the rumored boyfriend. All that hard work in the kitchen finally won him over, huh?"  
Yukiko turned beet red and she shook her head vigorously, "It's not like that!"  
"Rumors as to the extent of our entanglement have been greatly exaggerated," Michael said with forced indifference, but to his dismay, he could feel his face was hot with rushing blood.  
Kasai laughed harder, "Oh my! Look at you two, you're both burning red! I had better leave you two alone."  
Before they could say any more, the waitress Kasai turned on her heel and made her way back down the path, humming happily as she went.  
Yukiko could barely meet Michael's gaze, "Sh-sheesh! I am s-so sorry about that, they love to embarrass me so much. I keep telling them they have the wrong idea, I'm really sorry."  
Michael smiled warmly at her and he could feel the familiar stirring in his stomach that occurred whenever she was in his line of sight, "Well, you were blushing quite a bit," he teased.  
She spun around to look at him before looking away again, "S-So were you! I mean- that's not what I- this isn't funny you know!"  
Michael chuckled, the sight of the calm and composed Yukiko becoming a stammering mess gave him a strange feeling of accomplishment that he did not endeavor to question in introspect.  
"Alright, alright, I'll stop. So, Kasai-san is in on the cooking lessons too, eh?"  
The change of subject had a calming effect on Yukiko and she nodded, " Her and all the other waitresses and chefs. I said I'd learn on my own, but I kept messing up. I even burned myself a few times."  
Michael perked up, "I'll see if Kyrie can lend us some of her leaves."  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, I feel like I really can't learn properly if I'm relieved of the consequences of my mistakes so quickly."  
Michael was going to protest, but thought better of it. Yukiko continued.  
"They keep saying 'Please, let us teach you!'" she stopped to giggle, "Usually the student begs the teacher for instruction, not the other way around, you know?"  
She paused and watched a small flock of birds dive from a tall tree to a shorter one.  
"They use up their own break time for my lessons, they're all so nice to me. One time, when I was halfway successful with a dish, they all gathered around and tasted it saying how good it was. I didn't know what to say, I was just...happy. Plus, I have you and all my friends at school. All things considered, I'm pretty lucky."  
"As are we," Michael said, thumbing his beard.  
"Thank you...I want to do my best, for everyone's sake," Yukiko said confidently, "But..."  
"But what?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko looked down, "I'm trying to leave, it's a betrayal to those who have been so kind to me...I can't help that, I suppose..."  
"Yukiko, look at me," Michael said.  
After a deep breath, she did as she was told.  
"It's not a betrayal, far from it. We do what we do so you can feel the strength, knowledge, and confidence needed to pursue your own dreams your own way. We would not be betrayed, we would be fulfilled."  
Yukiko looked at him and her eyes began to water, "Michael-kun..."  
Without prior stimuli, Michael felt his fight-or-flight instinct manifest into a pit in his stomach. Yukiko's voice became white noise in the background as his battle-sleep began to focus his senses on the sudden footsteps around them.  
"Gaijin!" he heard a bark from behind him.  
Yukiko turned her head, "Hm? Who's there?!"  
"My ears are burning," Michael growled.  
"I'm talking to you, yankee pig!" The voice barked out again.  
At this, Michael slowly turned to face his adversary. The boy who stood before him probably came up to his collarbone has they been standing next to each other. He wore his dark brown hair long, his eyes barely visible beneath the locks. He stood with a lame slouch, his hands clenched at his sides. The other boys, his toadies as Michael labeled them, stood sneering behind him.  
"That's Pig-san to you, Stupid-kun. Mind yourself, you're on sacred ground," Michael replied.  
The boy stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Michael tensed up, but did not back down.  
"Yukiko-senpai, how about you come with us?" The boy said with his best confident smirk, "We're a lot funner than some burger-eating foreigner."  
Yukiko took a step back, "I don't think I will."  
The boy's face hardened, "You're a traitor to your own blood, whore."  
It was Michael's turn to step forward, "Words like that are unbecoming and won't get you far in life."  
The boy strode forward until he was chest-to-chest with Michael, looking up into his eyes.  
"Talk shit again, I dare you, asshole," the boy hissed.  
Michael looked down at him, "You have beautiful eyes," he said dryly.  
The boy's face contorted with anger and he grabbed Michael by the collar, "What the- you fucking freak!"  
Michael shrugged and a split second later, he drew his head back and swung down, the front of his skull striking the boy in the nose. The boy stumbled backward, blood sprang from the ruptured vessels in his nose.  
Yukiko gasped behind him.  
The boy held his nose in shock from the surprise attack before scrambling back to his feet. He said nothing, but let out a savage shout as he charged Michael at full speed. Michael grabbed his book bag from beside him and swung it outward, catching the boy in the side of his torso and sending him tumbling to the ground. Without missing a step, Michael was upon him. He wrestled the boy's blazer off of him and set to work binding the writhing young man's limbs. Within minutes, the boy was hogtied and prostrate on the ground.  
"This is a holy place, don't you have any respect?" Michael spit.  
"Michael-kun!" Yukiko cried out.  
Michael spun around and saw the boy's toadies began advancing on him.  
"Blast," he hissed, taking his stance again.  
"Hey, assholes! You want an unfair fight?! I'll give you an unfair fight!" A harsh but familiar voice called out.  
Kanji Tatsumi had come sprinting down the path, Kyrie and Chie in tow.  
"Yukiko! Are you okay?!" Chie cried, running to her friend's side.  
"I'm fine, Chie, they weren't after me. They attacked Michael-kun!" Yukiko explained, her voice shaking from the agitation.  
"Huh?! Come on you snot-nosed little pricks! Give me a reason, just give me a reason!" Kanji snarled, standing beside Michael.  
The boys' firing line crumbled under Kanji's verbal charge and, after exchanging a few nervous glances, retreated.  
Kyrie gasped, "Michael, your head!"  
Michael reached up and indeed felt that a bump had welled up where his adversary's nose made impact.  
"You should see the other guy," Michael said, gesturing to the bound boy who was still writhing on the ground a few feet away.  
Kanji slapped him on the back, "C'mon, killer, let's get you patched up.

In the private rooms of the Tatsumi Textile Shop, Kyrie placed one of the healing leaves from her small pouch upon Michael's forehead. Within a few seconds, the bump had receded and the dull throbbing in his temples ebbed away.  
"Thanks again, doc. I owe you a soda," Michael said with a smile.  
Kyrie returned a shy smile and packed up her belongings.  
Mrs. Tatsumi brought in a cup of tea on a saucer and placed it before Michael.  
"Here you are, dear. This should prevent any residual muscle soreness. I always give it to my Kanji after he's been in a tussle," the aged woman said sweetly.  
Kanji spun around, "Y-You don't have to tell him that!"  
Michael bowed his head, "That was not necessary, but I appreciate it all the same. It smells divine."  
"You're welcome, Michael-kun. Or should I call you 'Sheriff'?" she said with a joking smile.  
Michael smirked, "Just don't call me late for dinner."  
When the team arrived at the textile shop, they informed Mrs. Tatsumi as to what transpired. She notified the police who found the boy's Western-style restraints to be highly irregular yet very amusing. Mrs. Tatsumi, having dealt with the aftermaths of Kanji's multiple incidents, knew how to leave Michael's name out of it.  
"How did you two get into a situation like that anyway?" Chie asked.  
"Irreconcilable differences," Michael said indifferently.  
Yukiko shook her head, "They attacked him for being an American!" She said angrily.  
Kanji pounded his fist on the table, "Dammit! I should've found those assholes earlier!"  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "So that's how you found us, you were already looking for them."  
Kanji nodded, "Yeah, Narukami-senpai told me that some chumps were going around bullying other students. I guess a bunch of rumors started saying that it was me doing it, so I decided I was gonna look for these bullies and give them a taste of their own goddamn medicine!"  
"And clear your name while you're at it," Michael added.  
Kanji nodded, "That's when I ran into Chie-senpai who was looking for them, too. We found Kyrie who was on her way to the shrine and that's when we heard the shouting," Kanji explained.  
Michael turned to Chie, "And just how did you come to know of these ruffians?"  
"A police officer told Narukami-kun and I about it while were grabbing lunch after training down by the river a few days back. Apparently these bullies weren't just picking on kids to make them cry, they were extorting money from them too!" Chie explained.  
Kanji smiled and he slapped Michael on the shoulder, "But damn! That was some skill you had there, I'm impressed!"  
Michael waved his hand dismissively, "It wasn't my abundance of skill, it was my adversary's pronounced deficit of it. It's clear that he was not prepared for someone to actually stand up to him."  
"Some of those boys are in my class, they were always being disruptive and generally unpleasant. I hate to sound like I'm advocating violence, but I'm glad you put them in their place, Michael-senpai, Kanji-kun," Kyrie said softly, but confidently.  
"Maybe we did, Lois, maybe we did," Michael said dramatically with a wry smile, taking a sip from his cup. The translucent green liquid seemed to loosen every tendon in his body.  
"...Who is Lois?" Kyrie asked.  
Chie laughed, "Another saying of his, you'll get used to them."  
As if on cue, Michael began whistling 'Yankee Doodle' as the others laughed around him.


	31. June 8th

June 8th

Michael and Narukami conversed for a tick after school, Yukiko and Chie having gone off together after fetching Kyrie for a girls-only afternoon at Okina City, the rain seemingly of no consequence to them. An unusual development had been brought to Michael's attention as he had begun hearing his name mentioned in hushed whispers amongst the classroom.  
"Hey, did I miss something?" Michael asked Narukami.  
Narukami raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, maybe it's my imagination, but I could swear that people are talking about me and giving me weirder looks than usual."  
Narukami gave him a confused look, "That's odd to you? After your scrape with those bullies, it's only natural that you would be a topic of conversation around here."  
Michael sighed and ran a hand down his face, "How did people hear about that?"  
Narukami gave a nervous chuckle, "Well, Chie kind of-"  
"I should have known."  
"Don't hold it against her, she has a thing for putting bullies in their place."  
Michael exhaled deeply, "I know, but-"  
He was cut off by Yosuke who hurriedly approached their desks after going to the restroom. He held a small packet of pamphlets in his hand.  
"Yo, guys! Guess what I just heard!" Yosuke said excitedly.  
Narukami and Michael looked at each other in confusion.  
"Uh, what?" Narukami asked.  
Yosuke became visibly more excited, "When they're sitting in back of you, it's like a squeeze play!"  
Narukami and Michael exchanged looks again, this time of contempt.  
"What are you talking about?" Narukami asked.  
Yosuke shook his head, "Oh come on, dude! Michael, you're a mature guy, you know what I mean, right?"  
Michael leaned back and patronized him with a mocking look of deep thought, "Hmm, well, we're talking about Yosuke Hanamura here so I'll go with the safe bet and assume what you're talking about is somehow related to girls."  
Yosuke put a finger to his lips to signal quiet and leaned in, scanning the area around them carefully before speaking, "Not so loud! But yes, I'm talking about how, when there's a girl sitting behind you on a motorcycle, they're pressing right up against your back!"  
Narukami tilted his head, "What does?"  
"And why are we talking about motorcycles?" Michael added.  
Yosuke shook his head in exasperation, "Don't make me spell it out for you! Look, motorcycles are the hot new thing for guys now, right? And girls like guys who spend time outdoors, right?"  
Michael squinted, "Oh, you've got to be-"  
Yosuke held up the pamphlets, "So, I got us these! What do you say, fellas? Wanna get our licenses together?"  
Michael and Narukami each took a pamphlet and examined it.  
"A pamphlet for getting our motorcycle licenses?" Narukami observed.  
Michael thumbed through it quickly, "Are we even old enough for this? I doubt I can get one, I'm not even a citizen."  
Yosuke clapped him on the shoulder, "Don't sweat it, I already looked it all up for you."  
Narukami looked unconvinced, "Can you really afford a motorcycle?"  
Yosuke winced, "Well, I can really only afford a scooter on my budget, but at least that'll let us get to new places without needing to wait for a train. Don't you think we deserve that much, considering how we're investigating the case?"  
Michael studied the pamphlet carefully, "I'm all for learning a new skill, but I think there's a hole in your plan here, Einstein."  
"What do you mean?"  
Michael held out an open page of the pamphlet and marked out a bullet point with his thumb, "It says here, 'no more than one person is allowed to ride per motorized scooter'."  
Yosuke drew back, but quickly regained his composure, "Bah, details, details."  
"Are you really serious about this?" Narukami asked, still uncertain.  
The trio was tied up in their debate over Yosuke's idea that they didn't notice the fleeing of students that signaled Kanji Tatsumi's approach.  
"'Sup, Senpai. Hey, about the camping trip..." Kanji's voice trailed off when he noticed the motorcycle license pamphlets in the boys' hands, "Uh, you guys busy right now?"  
"Kinda. We're talking about motorcycles," Yosuke said with an air of superiority.  
Kanji became visibly intrigued, "Motorcycles? You guys gonna go stomp a gang?" Kanji glanced down at Michael, "Had a taste of battle and now you're thirsty for more, huh? If you guys are bringin' a war, I'll help!"  
Yosuke facepalmed, "No! We're not 'bringing a war'. What does that even mean, anyway?!" Yosuke took a deep breath to calm himself down, "Look, we're just talking about getting motorcycle licenses."  
Kanji looked surprised, "Licenses? You mean you don't have yours already?"  
Narukami and Michael shook their heads.  
"Haven't really considered it until now," Narukami replied.  
Yosuke studied Kanji, "Wait, why did you say it like that? Don't tell me you already have yours?!"  
Kanji shook his head, "Nah, I'm still fifteen and all."  
"Then why did you act all surprised that we didn't have OURS yet?!" Yosuke exclaimed before taking a deep breath and continuing, "That reminds me, I'm surprised you were able to pick a fight with that biker gang. How'd you chase after them?"  
Kanji shrugged, "Eh, a plain, ol' bike is all I need for that."  
Michael looked impressed, "That's some serious cardiovascular fortitude."  
Kanji stared at him with a blank expression, "Car dealer...muscular...attitude?"  
"Forget I said anything."  
Yosuke made a dismissive hand gesture, "Either way, we can't let you in on our 'up close and personal' plan."  
Michael looked over at Yosuke, "Why the Hell not?"  
Kanji made a fist, "Yeah, why the Hell not?! Wait...up close a personal, what does that mean, anyway?!"  
"Keep it down!" Yosuke hissed, "Look like I was telling these guys, what a guy needs nowadays to be a big man is first a motorcycle and then..."  
Kanji, Narukami, and Michael exchanged looks for the third time.  
"And then what?" Kanji finally asked.  
"A girlfriend," Yosuke finished with a wink and a smirk.  
Narukami clasped his hands together and leaned forward onto his desk, "Intriguing, tell me more."  
Yosuke laughed, "Now THAT's my partner! How about you, Michael?"  
Michael shrugged, "I'm all for the license acquisition, but I'll leave the girls to you two."  
"Really, man? Don't you want a special memory of your time spent here in lovely little Inaba?" Yosuke asked, giving him a wink and nudge.  
"Going into a TV to fight evil manifestations of the subconscious with my friends doesn't count?" Michael asked with a smirk.  
"You know what I mean!"  
"Yo, I got a question here," Kanji interjected.  
"Ugh, what?!" Yosuke replied with increased exasperation.  
"You guys are gonna get licensed for the big stuff, right? I mean, I know I came in late here, but if you're talkin' about takin' on a girl, you gotta be seatin' two, man. That ain't allowed on a scooter," Kanji explained.  
"That's what I tried to tell him," Michael said, leaning back in his chair.  
Yosuke sighed, "Man, so it's true..."  
"Wait, you believed Kanji but not the official government-issued literature?" Michael asked incredulously.  
"Sh-shut up! This'll work out!" Yosuke stammered, "As long as we have some kind of motorcycle, the girls will come running! That's all the advantage we'll need!"  
The boys' faces betrayed their lack of confidence in this plan. Sensing he was losing their backing, Yosuke renewed his efforts.  
"Listen, the reason we don't have girlfriends is because we're stuck here in this town waiting to meet someone. I mean, this place is so tiny, it's no wonder we can't find one," Yosuke explained, "Michael, you get to live with the hottest girl in school, you wouldn't get it."  
"Did you really have to bring that up?" Michael groaned.  
Yosuke ignored him, "It doesn't matter if it's only a scooter. Any kind of motorcycle is a ticket for us to get some chicks! Then after that, we get a bigger motorcycle..." Yosuke leaned in, his sly smirk returning, "and that's when the 'up close and personal' plan really starts!"  
"Up close and personal..." Kanji muttered to himself, as if trying to grasp the meaning.  
Yosuke continued on his latest sales pitch, "Plus, Narukami and I have the total city boy thing going on which means we can relate to girls out there in the bigger towns. Michael, you have that American Wild West thing that city chicks will totally find exotic! If we're serious about this, we gotta expand our horizons!"  
Yosuke slammed his fist into his palm, his voice becoming more emboldened as his speech went on, "We gotta take the initiative! There's no time to wait for a train that leaves only every so often each day! We'll roar up on our motorcycles like the badasses we are, and when the chicks come up, we'll play it cool. The pheromones dripping off of us will bring them around in no time!"  
Kanji looked at them in confusion, "Feral...zone?"  
Yosuke looked as if he was at his wit's end, "No! We're not talking about an area full of cats, you idiot! I'm talking about PHEROMONES! My research shows that a motorcycle is the number one surefire way to increase a man's pheromones."  
Kanji suddenly inferred the meaning of the word and began to flush, "Phero...mones..." he purred.  
The other boys exchanged nervous glances, "Dude, that's how a perv would react."  
Michael laughed dryly, "Oh man, if only Chie were here."  
Yosuke's features betrayed momentary fear, "D-Don't bring her up right now!"  
Kanji glared at Yosuke, "What did you call me?! Fine, ya know what, I'm in too! Get ready for Kanji Tatsumi to show off his manhood to these chicks!"  
Whatever students were still remaining in the classroom quickly vacated the vicinity upon this declaration.  
"Uhh, phrasing?" Narukami said uncomfortably.  
"I already told you, Kanji, you can't! And don't tell anyone about this, okay? If other guys try to copy us, it'll dilute our pheromones," Yosuke explained.  
"Wait, why can't he join us?" Michael asked, "Following your reasoning, won't we look cooler if we have more friends? It would mean we're popular."  
Yosuke shook his head, "Not when one of those friends dresses like a gangbanger. Besides, he's fifteen, remember? He can't get his license yet."  
Yosuke turned his back to Kanji and faced the two other boys, "So, partner, make sure you talk to your uncle about getting your license, okay? And Micha-"  
Kanji cut him off with an enthusiastic interjection, "Got it!"  
"Not you! I don't even know your uncle!"  
Yosuke took a deep breath and an unusually serious expression came over him, "Look, I'm serious about this. Girlfriends aside, we can use scooters to go all over."  
"Hmm, it's true that with scooters our range of activities will increase..."Narukami thought out loud.  
"And aid us in rapid response situations while investigating the case," Michael added.  
They exchanged a nod, "We're in," they said in unison.  
Yosuke fist pumped, "Nice! Man, somewhere out there, the best days of our youth are ahead of us."  
Kanji nodded, "Yeah! I'm with you on that one!"  
Astounded that Kanji's enthusiasm was beginning to eclipse Yosuke's, the four boys uncomfortably disbanded.

"A scooter license? Really?" Mr. Amagi said with some surprise.  
Michael nodded, "I understand your trepidation, and should you feel more comfortable denying my request, I will faithfully abide by your judgment."  
The couple looked at each other for a time before turning back to him.  
"Are you studying the traffic laws?" Mr. Amagi asked him.  
Michael nodded, "Very carefully, yes."  
"And you're studying the effectiveness of the different helmet brands and types?" Mrs. Amagi added.  
Michael chuckled, "A singular study, but necessary all the same should you will it."  
The couple looked at each other again and nodded at each other before turning back to him.  
"Okay, we'll allow it. However, we can't spare the money to help you buy a scooter, so you'll have to source that yourself," Mr. Amagi explained.  
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Michael replied.

Yukiko and Michael stood side by side in the kitchen washing dishes at the sink. The rain from the afternoon had stopped before nightfall, eliminating the need to wait up for the Midnight Channel. The faint feeling of dread it had instilled, however, was not wearing off so Yukiko and Michael chose to work the nervous energy away.  
"So how was your day out with the girls?" Michael asked.  
"It was fun. The rain was kind of a bummer, but we just went from shop to shop," Yukiko explained.  
"Is Kyrie-chan warming up to you two a little bit?"  
Yukiko gave an unsure shrug, "I think so. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I can feel like...she's in pain."  
Michael's scrubbing slowed, "How do you mean?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "It's hard to explain, I just have a gut feeling."  
"I've always been told to trust those."  
"I'm sure she'll open up to us eventually," Yukiko said, but Michael could tell there was worry in her voice.  
He decided to change the subject.  
"So me and the boys are getting our scooter licenses," he said.  
Yukiko looked over at him in surprise, "Oh? What brought that on?"  
Michael chuckled dryly, "Yosuke has somehow convinced himself that it would help us pick up girls."  
Yukiko dropped the dish she was holding and it would have broken on the floor had Michael not dove to catch it.  
"P-Pick up girls?!" she stammered.  
Michael rose to his feet, carefully holding the rescued plate in his free hand, "Ridiculous, right?"  
"Y-You think it's ridiculous?" she asked.  
Michael laughed, "Of course, he watches too many movies if you ask me. I gotta admit, his potential for optimism is startling."  
"So you aren't actually going to go pick up girls?" Yukiko persisted.  
Michael studied her for a moment and finally smiled, "Of course I'm not. I have more practical uses for the scooter in mind."  
Yukiko looked relieved, "Ah, yes, of course, practical!" she said with a small giggle.  
Michael sensed that she was troubled by something. He smirked as a thought came to him.  
"Hey, you got something on your nose," he said.  
Yukiko reached up and touched her nose, "Did I get-"  
Before she could finish, she realized she had inadvertently put a large blob of bubbles on the tip of her nose.  
"Oh yeah, perfect," Michael grinned.  
Yukiko laughed and dipped her hand back into the dishwater, "You have something, too, I'll get it!"  
She reached up and placed an even larger blob on Michael's forehead, giggling the whole time.  
Michael brought a hand up and formed the blob into two bubbly angry eyebrows, "That was soap-etty of you."  
The laughing fit that ensued would be talked about among inn staff for days to come.


	32. June 15th

June 15th

Students slowly filed into the classroom early that Wednesday morning, summer break's imminent arrival occupying the greater part of their thoughts and conversation and reducing them to sluggishness. The Investigation Team was no different, as evident when Yosuke beckoned Narukami and Michael to the corner of the classroom away from their two female friends.  
"So, you two ready to put our plan into action?" Yosuke asked, the excitement apparent in his voice.  
"We're doing that already?" Narukami replied.  
"No time like the present!" Yosuke answered enthusiastically before turning to Michael.  
"So, how about it, sheriff? You're fixin' to saddle up with us, right?"  
Michael gave him a critical look, "Don't ever say something like that again. Besides, where would we be going exactly?"  
"Okina City, of course! Where else are we gonna meet some seriously top-shelf cuties?" Yosuke stated with glee.  
Michael sighed, but Narukami looked a little more interested, "Top-shelf, you say?"  
Yosuke winked, "After school, we'll meet up at Junes. Make sure to bring your scooters!"  
The slamming of the classroom's sliding door signaled Mr. Morooka's arrival.  
"Alright you rotten little shits! Take your seats! If you haven't spit out your gum yet, it's far too late now!"

Michael and Narukami rode up into the Junes parking lot to find an impatient-looking Yosuke sitting on the seat of his scooter, tapping his foot.  
"I've been waiting for you guys forever!" Yosuke exclaimed.  
"It's only been forty-five minutes since school let out," Narukami replied defensively.  
Their conversation was interrupted by the shrill ringing of a bicycle bell. The three boys turned to see Kanji ride up next to them on his bike, much to Yosuke's disdain.  
Kanji wiped the sweat from his brow, "Yo, sorry I'm late, Senpai."  
"We just got here too," Michael replied.  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose, "Ugh, you can't be late to something you weren't invited to."  
Kanji ignored him and examined the boys' scooters.  
"Those are some nice rides. Where'd you get 'em?" Kanji asked.  
"My uncle gave me his old scooter," Narukami answered, patting the silver paintjob.  
Yosuke's chest puffed up with pride, "Got mine from a pretty high-end catalog. Nice, right?"  
Yosuke's yellow scooter did indeed look impressive, but Michael doubted it actually possessed any higher functionality over their own.  
"A relative of Chie's is a motor vehicle hobbyist. He had quite a few of these junkers layin' around at a good price. Just took me an afternoon to tune it up a smidgeon," Michael said regarding his rather plain dark-gray ride.  
"Good deal. So, we headin' out?" Kanji asked.  
Yosuke sighed, "Okay, fine. You can come along, IF you can keep up."  
Kanji grinned a toothy smile, "You're on!"  
The boys jumped on their respective modes of transportation and took off down the road.

The trio on their scooters arrived at Okina Station. The city was notably more crowded than usual, likely due to families taking their summer vacations early.  
"Hello, Okina Station! That was easier than I thought," Yosuke said proudly.  
Once again, the ringing from Kanji's bicycle rang out through the air.  
"He actually followed us all the way here?" Yosuke said incredulously.  
Michael chuckled, "You made the mistake of challenging him."  
Kanji pulled up with a triumphant smile on his face, mostly directed at Yosuke.  
"That was a breeze. No sweat keeping up with a few guys still getting used to their scooters," he said.  
Yosuke spit on the ground, "If I hadn't run out of gas back there, we would've left you in the dust! Ugh, I shouldn't have cheaped out on gas just so I could have more money to fool around with," he lamented.  
Michael stepped up onto the sidewalk and looked around, "So now what?" he asked.  
"Well, you see all the people hanging around here?" Yosuke asked.  
"Yeah, what of it?"  
"I'm sure if we hang around our scooters here, lookin' all nonchalant and cool, some girls have got to come talk to us eventually!"  
Michael gave a long look of contempt at Yosuke before turning to Narukami.  
"Are you actually going to go along with this?" Michael asked.  
Narukami shrugged, "The logic is there. In my experience, girls tend to come to me more often than I go to them."  
"Hey now, no need to brag," Michael said with a smirk.  
"Uh, actually guys, mind if I head off on my own for a bit?" Kanji asked, suddenly looking embarrassed.  
"Wait, what? You made a big stink about not being invited, follow us on your bike all the way out here, and now you wanna bail?!" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
Kanji rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I mean, since I came all the way out here to Okina, th-there's the craft shop I wanna..."  
"Fine, go," Yosuke groaned.  
"Thanks senpai, I'll be back in a bit!" Kanji said before running off down the sidewalk.  
Narukami patted Yosuke on the shoulder, "Don't worry about it, our plan's more important."  
After about five minutes of this 'plan', Michael got up.  
"Kanji had the right idea, I'm gonna go check out a few of these shops. I've never really had the chance to explore on my own around here," Michael said.  
"What, you too?!" Yosuke sputtered, "But what about girls?!"  
Michael turned, "Oh, don't you remember? I 'live with the hottest girl in school', I am not attuned to the plight of the Everyman."  
Before either of them could protest, Michael walked off down the street.

The faces that walked by him all seemed to blur together after awhile, a phenomenon that made him dizzy. To remove it from his line of sight, he began looking instead up at the signs of the stores he would pass by. Everything from coffee shops to clothing outlets to antique stores lined the walkways. While still not as sprawling as Los Angeles, it provided a greater spread of commercial variety that Inaba lacked. The store that caught Michael's interest was a rather large book shop, far larger than the mom-and-pop outfit, Yomenaido Bookstore, back in the shopping district. He stepped in and, with a deep inhale through his nose, took in the smell of ink on paper that permeated the atmosphere of such establishments. Instinctively, he made his way to the history section. He thumbed through a few tomes before a girl's voice caught his attention.  
"Really, dad? You didn't bring any money?" the voice asked.  
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I've been so wrapped up in these cases lately that it just slipped my mind," an older man's voice replied.  
Michael stepped around the corner of the bookshelf to see a young girl, approximately middle school age, with short brown hair and reddish-brown eyes holding a book in her hand. Michael could make out an English-style portrait of a dignified-looking woman on the front cover.  
"We're supposed to be on vacation, dad. You know that this obsession is bad for you," the girl persisted.  
The man shook his head, "It's part of the job, dear. When you find a profession you're passionate about, you'll understand. I'm sorry, but for now you'll have to put the book back."  
The girl sighed and, with a dejected look, turned back toward the bookshelf she got it from.  
Michael cleared his throat, "Pardon me, young lady, but may I take a look at that book?"  
The girl studied him with curiosity, a reaction Michael had grown used to since he first landed in Japan, "Um, yes, sir," she said respectfully although hesitating before holding it out to him.  
"'The Illusory Popess'," Michael read the title aloud. Opening the cover to read the summary just inside, he discovered the book was about the Pope Johanna. He thumbed through the pages before looking back down at the girl.  
"This is quite the subject matter. Are you a fan of history?" Michael asked.  
"A devout student of history, law, and powerful women," the girl's father replied, taking a protective stance beside his daughter.  
Michael smiled, "You must be quite proud," he said.  
The man returned his smile and nodded, "I am. You'll have to pardon my manners, I'm not used to seeing foreigners this deep into the countryside."  
Michael chuckled, "I get that a lot. My name is Michael King, late of the States," he said, extending his hand.  
The man accepted it, "My name is Officer Nijima of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. This is my daughter, Makoto."  
Makoto bowed, "How do you do?"  
"Pleasure to make your acquaintance. What brings an officer from Tokyo out here? Are you investigating the recent string of unfortunate events?" Michael asked.  
Mr. Nijima shook his head, "Unfortunately, no. Were it in my jurisdiction and were it not for the fact that I have enough work piled on my desk already, I would be."  
"Just out here to take in the relaxing country air then, are we? You couldn't have picked a better place," Michael replied.  
Mr. Nijima nodded, "It is a lovely area you have here. Might even retire here when my time comes."  
"If work doesn't kill you first," Makoto muttered.  
Mr. Nijima chuckled and shook his head.  
"I'm sorry if I am intruding, but I couldn't help but overhear you wanted this book," Michael said to Makoto.  
Makoto nodded, "I admire Pope Johanna very much."  
Michael studied the cover a little longer before nodding, "Right then, as a fellow student of history, I'll get it for you," he said, pulling out his wallet.  
Mr. Nijima held up a hand, "We appreciate the thought, but we do not accept charity."  
Michael shook his head, "This is not charity, it's an investment," he said matter-of-factly, "The more young women who can learn from someone like Pope Johanna, the better."  
Mr. Nijima sighed and placed a hand on Makoto's shoulder, "You're a lucky girl today."  
Makoto, who had up to now maintained a respectfully impassive face, brightened up, "I-I couldn't-"  
"You can. And when we meet again, you can tell me all about her," Michael replied.  
Makoto finally nodded, "Thank you, Michael-san."  
Suddenly, a yell erupted from outside, "MY MOTORCYCLE!" a shrill male voice pined.  
"What was that?!" Mr. Nijima asked, alarmed.  
Michael sighed, he recognized the voice.  
"That would be the herald of a consistent embarrassment. I'm sorry, but I am going to have to beg your leave. I hope you two enjoy the remainder of your vacation," Michael said with a bow.  
"Thank you again for your generosity, Michael-san. Take care of yourself," Mr. Nijima said.  
"I promise will take good care of this book," Makoto said earnestly.  
Michael acknowledged them with a smile and a nod before hurrying his way out of the store to the aid of his friend.

When he arrived at the source of the shout, what he found surpassed all the ridiculous scenarios he had formed in his head. Yosuke knelt before his nearly-crushed scooter, a very large girl in a Yasogami uniform sitting upon it. Apparently, it had given way under her immense weight.  
"Ugh, what's with this scooter? It's all broken. If you wanna take me out, you gotta do better than this. The best girls don't go steady for nothing," the girl wheezed before hopping off her creaking throne and waddling away.  
"Should I even ask?" Michael said, rubbing his temples.  
"It's a long story," Narukami replied.  
"Did I insult a gypsy or something?" Yosuke asked in between sobs.  
"Cheer up, man."  
Yosuke chuckled bitterly, "Easy for you to say. I don't have a way to get home now."  
Kanji stepped up, determination in his eyes, "Senpai, don't you worry about a thing. Hop on behind me, I'll get you home safe and sound."  
Yosuke, reluctantly, mounted Kanji's bike behind him.  
"Whoa! Now I get what you meant by 'up close and personal'!" Kanji said, his face reddening.  
"You don't get anything! And you're freaking me out!" Yosuke cried.  
Michael finally held up his hands, "Okay, this was funny for the first few seconds, but now it's just sad."  
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a key ring, and tossed it at Yosuke who caught it in mid-air.  
"Here, take my scooter. I'll catch the train back," Michael said.  
Yosuke looked at him in surprise, "Dude, are you sure? It's gonna be awhile until the train comes."  
Michael shrugged, "Gives me more time to browse. Just don't let any of your girlfriends sit on it this time, yeah?"  
"That wasn't my girlfriend!" Yosuke called after Michael, but he had already disappeared into the crowd.


	33. June 17th

**Disclaimer: Kyrie Hajime is an OC by user XxWolfLord95xX.**

June 17th

Michael stood in the Amagi Inn lobby wearing his Yasogami High P.E. gear, his duffle bag slung over his shoulder. The day prior, the rest of the team had gone to Junes to purchase supplies for the camp out which gave Michael a chance to get some work done around the inn without interruption.  
"Michael-kun, are you ready?" Yukiko asked as she came down the stairs, her mother following close behind her.  
"That I am," he replied.  
"Now you two be careful out there! Don't go wandering off by yourselves and make sure to stay in your tents at night!" Mrs. Amagi nagged, fussing with Yukiko's hair.  
"We'll be fine, mother. We're barely going outside the town limits," Yukiko groaned, waving her away.  
"You need not worry of any n'er-do-wells, m'am. You know me, I respond well to such incursions," Michael assured her, thumbing the handle of his billy club that stuck out from his duffle.  
Mrs. Amagi gave a half smile, "There was once a day where such things were not needed around here."  
"Those days will return. Until then, I guarantee our vigilance," Michael replied.  
With a final hug from Mrs. Amagi, the pair set off down the road.  
"So you bought a truncheon?" Yukiko observed, eyeing the handle protruding from his bag.  
"I did, bought it from old man Daidara while you and the others were out shopping. How did that go, anyway?"  
"We mostly purchased food and bug repellant. Upon your advisement, I also got some first aid supplies," Yukiko replied, producing a small first aid kit from her bag.  
Michael nodded, "Good, good. That will be handy when Yosuke inevitably hurts himself."  
Yukiko giggled and put the box away, "Speaking of Yosuke-kun, he sure was excited yesterday. While the rest of us were browsing the grocery department, he had gone off somewhere on his own. When asked about it, he was quite evasive."  
Michael cringed, "To say that is alarming would be an understatement."  
Yukiko looked up in thought, "It's his loss. Due to his absence, he was not granted any input on what Chie and I will be making for dinner tonight."  
Michael swallowed hard, being reminded of the knowledge of Yukiko and Chie agreeing to make their dinner was like a wound in his appetite being pressed against a salt lick. Despite this, he forced a smile.  
"I'm sure it will be delicious. Two heads are better than one, after all," he said with a nervous laugh.  
Yukiko nodded confidently, "That's what I thought, too! To be honest, I've been excited about it."  
 _Hail Mary, full of Grace, the lord is with thee,_ Michael recited the Catholic prayer in his head.  
"As have I," he lied.

After their arrival and subsequent check-in with the crooked form of Mr. Morooka, Michael and Yukiko met up with their friends who had already arrived. The campground was a mostly flat, grassy clearing in the middle of the forested area of the countryside. There were rows of wooden picnic benches arrayed in the clearing. At the foot of the tables were small, individual fire pits encircled by cinderblocks supporting a wire mesh grill.  
"Hey guys, we've been-" Narukami began to greet them, but was cut off by the shrieking echo of a loud speaker wielded by Mr. Morooka.  
"Quiet down, you bums! In an orderly fashion, you are hereby ordered to make your way into the tree line and set to work picking up discarded refuse! Slacking off is not permitted nor tolerated! Remember, this disrespect for nature is your own damn fault! If you all would advocate..."  
Unpleasantly, the assembled students found themselves getting lectured.  
"I hope I don't have him as my homeroom teacher when I'm a second year," Kyrie groaned.  
Michael nudged her, "Hey, did you bring the stuff?" he whispered.  
Kyrie nodded, "Just as you advised."  
Mr. Morooka finally ended his insult-riddled monologue and dismissed the teens to their labors.  
"Hey, were you guys saying something? I couldn't hear anything over King Moron," Yosuke asked, referring to Michael and Kyrie.  
"Not a thing," Michael replied nonchalantly.  
Kyrie looked up at him in surprise, but shook her head, "N-Nothing at all, senpai."  
Yosuke was about to inquire further when a loudspeaker pressed up against the side of his head, "What did I just say about slacking, Hanamura?!"  
Like rodents, the group scattered into the tree line.

"Oh man, gross! A used tissue, seriously?!" Yosuke cried, throwing the piece of refuse back on the ground.  
"Told you to bring gloves," Michael said matter-of-factly.  
"Can't blame Yosuke for that, not even gloves would let me feel clean after picking up a used tissue," Chie replied, the trash bag she was holding making a soft rustling as she dropped an empty soda can into it.  
Michael looked up every now and then from his labor to survey the trees.  
"I know this isn't the most glamorous trip, but don't any of you sense an air of beautiful mystery from these trees?" he asked.  
"Oooh, think of the scary stories that could be told here," Yukiko said excitedly.  
"Scary stories? I wanna hear one!" Kyrie added with equal interest.  
"No Yukiko, no scary stories!" Chie snapped.  
"But Chie, think of all the monsters that could be living in a place like this! Like, I heard a story about this boy who came into the forest at night on his bike on a dare. Shortly after he was out of his friends' sight, they smelled rotting flesh. After that, they heard the desperate ringing of the boy's bike bell, but then it went silent. They waited until sunrise, but he never came out of the forest," Yukiko recited ominously.  
"I don't wanna hear it! I don't wanna hear it! La la la la la I can't hear you!" Chie cried, placing her hands over her ears.  
Michael placed a hand on his chin, "Hmm, sounds like it could have been a 'skinwalker', but that's mostly found in Navajo and other Native American mythology. To think that one could have come all the way to Japan..." Michael began.  
Chie jumped to her feet and shook her head violently, "You suck! You both suck! I'm not listening to this!" she cried before stomping off.  
Yosuke snickered, "Boy, you two sure got her number."  
Yukiko tilted her head, "I didn't mean to..."  
"Uhh, guys, should we really be letting her go off by herself?" Narukami asked in concern.  
As if to validate his concern, a scream echoed forth from where Chie had gone into the trees.  
"Oh shit, skinwalker!" Yosuke squealed, instinctively covering his head.  
Narukami and Michael wasted no time in jumping to their feet and sprinting after her.  
They found the huddled form of Chie next to a gentle decline down into a shallow gulley.  
"What happened?!" Narukami asked, crouching down next to her.  
"A bike! The kid's bike!" Chie said hysterically, pointing into the gulley.  
Michael peered down into the brush and saw that there was indeed a weathered bicycle frame resting within. He carefully slid down the side of the gulley and examined the wreckage. By this time, the others had caught up to them.  
"Chie, are you okay?" Yukiko asked, taking her in her arms.  
"I-I'm fine, but I think I found out what happened to that kid," Chie said, wiping a tear from her cheek.  
"Chie, that wasn't the whole story. Nothing actually happened to the kid. He got scared shortly after entering the forest and rode back home in a panic without informing his friends," Yukiko explained.  
Michael finished his examination of the area and confirmed Yukiko's story, "Indeed. This bike has been here long enough to be completely rusted through. In addition, there are no skeletal remains visible surrounding it nor does it have a bell on the handlebars. In conclusion, the used tissue Yosuke found was far more spine-chilling in comparison."  
Narukami looked up at the sky and saw that the gray of the clouds slowly being shadowed by a tinge of orange.  
"With that mystery solved, we should probably be getting back soon," he said.  
"Hold on now," Michael replied holding up a hand, "Story or no story, this is still a piece of litter that we are duty-bound to extract. That being said, give me a hand with this thing, will ya?"

The three boys sat at their picnic table, the sky now a dark orange. The other students had all returned and were accounted for as the smells of food cooking on the open fires filled the air.  
Yosuke stretched his back , "I still can't believe someone threw away an entire bike. Dammit, litterers should have to deal with their own garbage," he groaned.  
"Let he who is without sin," Michael replied, examining the multitude of carvings on the wooden table.  
Yosuke sighed, "Anyways, it's almost time for dinner and I am starvin'!" Yosuke rubbed his hands together in anticipation.  
"I can't believe the girls volunteered to cook for us. I am a little skeptical about their choices in ingredients, however," Narukami replied.  
Yosuke shrugged, "I mean, I don't expect much out of Chie, but Yukiko's got the full tradition of the Amagi Inn behind her food! You can bet that it's gonna be out of this world! Right, Michael?"  
Michael coughed, "It will be something quite alien indeed," he replied.  
Narukami picked up on the subtle caution in Michael's ambiguous comment, "Uh, hey, Yosuke? You can have my share."  
Yosuke laughed, "Oh no, you aren't gonna pull that reverse psychology on me."  
The girls approached the table, each with a plate in their hand. One look at the mixture confirmed Michael's suspicions that it was not edible.  
This characteristic, however, was lost on Yosuke.  
"Oh man, here it comes," he said with glee.  
"S-Sorry for the wait," Chie said nervously as she and Yukiko set the plates down on the table, "w-we put a lot of love into it."  
The girls exchanged nervous glances as did Narukami and Michael.  
Yosuke smiled, "Whoa, really? Kinda clichéd, but still awesome!"  
Everyone held their breath in tension as Yosuke greedily brought a large spoonful into his mouth. In an instant, all color drained from his face and his eyes popped out of his head. His forehead perspiring, he gagged and turned quickly, forcing the foreign matter from his maw to the ground in a hacking and sputtering fit. When his convulsing ended, he collapsed to his side.  
"H-Hey...are you okay...?" Chie asked, her words catching in her throat.  
Yosuke revived quickly, his face contorted into a rage, "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"  
He jumped up from his seat and stepped up to the girls, his fists curled, "I mean, what kinda-" He stopped his rant as he broke into another coughing fit.  
"Sit down, Yosuke," Michael said sternly.  
"Oh Hell no! I am not letting you two get away with this! Curry's supposed to be like 'really spicy' or 'kinda mild' but this just stinks! It's gritty, too! It's somehow both gritty AND slimy! And it's even got squishy parts in it! It's so freakin' nasty I can't even swallow it!"  
The girls shrank under his verbal assault, but Chie still managed to speak.  
"I-It didn't mix too well...but it does offer a wide variety of flavor and textures..." She explained insecurely.  
"It's nauseating!" Yosuke pressed.  
Michael stood up and slammed his hands down on the table, "I said, sit down!" he barked, causing a few of the students around them to stare at him.  
The attention Michael drew caused Yosuke to comply simply to save face. Yosuke's show of obedience gave heart to Chie once more.  
"It's not THAT bad! That's just your opinion!" Chie said before the two girls turned to face Narukami.  
"Uh, what are you all looking at me for?" he asked nervously.  
"We wanna know what you think!" Chie said.  
Yosuke looked into Narukami's eyes with a dire seriousness, "I'm telling you as a friend: Don't. Do. It. I wouldn't even joke about trying that slop!"  
Michael gritted his teeth, "That's enough, Yosuke. I don't recall hearing a lazy twit like yourself volunteering to cook for us. Any normal person without a prominent social ineptitude would say thank you and shut their mouth."  
Yosuke turned on him with a fury, "Dude, this garbage is so bad, the Defense Force could use it as a weapon! Funny that you're calling me out on this, but refuse to take a bite for yourself!"  
Michael drew back, "I brought my own food, that's why."  
Yosuke's eyes narrowed, "Brought your own food...? Wait, you knew this was gonna be terrible, didn't you?!"  
"I've had it with your disingenuous assertions!"  
Michael and Yosuke looked as if they were going to come to blows, but were interrupted as a familiar voice called out.  
"Senpai, we brought dinner!"  
The group turned and saw Kyrie and Kanji walking towards them carrying plates stacked high with hamburgers. The delightful aroma of the burgers on the evening breeze heralded their approach and confirmed their deliciousness.  
"Are those...burgers?" Yosuke asked, his mouth watering.  
Kyrie and Kanji set the plates down on the table, "Mhm! Michael-senpai asked if we could make extra for you because your food was probably gonna be bad-"  
Michael cut her off, "Badly underestimated in quantity for the appetites of teenagers," he finished for her nervously.  
"Nice foresight, Michael-senpai!" Kanji said in awe, oblivious.  
The rest of the group ignored the exchange and pounced on the steaming plates, Yosuke and Chie taking two burgers each.  
"Hey, ladies first!" Chie hissed.  
"Since when have you been a 'lady'?" Yosuke rebutted.  
The group feasted voraciously on the bounty the underclassmen brought them.  
"Oh man, Kyrie-chan, this is incredible!" Chie exclaimed.  
"Juicy and very flavorful. My compliments to the chef," Narukami agreed.  
"Thank you all! Michael-senpai gave me the recipe and Kanji-kun helped me carry the supplies." Kyrie said graciously.  
"Much better than the Mystery Food X that we were subjected to," Yosuke said, "Kyrie-chan, you're an angel! Halo and all!"  
Kyrie giggled, "Why thank you, Yosuke-senpai. I just followed a recipe, that's all."  
"Mystery Food X?" Kanji asked in confusion.  
"Leave it at that, Kanji-kun," Michael cautioned.  
Suddenly, the familiar echo of Morooka's loudspeaker rang out across the campsite once again.  
"Alright, back to your tents! Men's tents are this way, girls's tents are that way! Come on people, look alive! Youngsters like yourselves should hurry up and get to bed after they eat! It's now time for us teachers to have some booz- errr, I mean, off to bed! Lights out in five!"

Inside the boys' tent, Narukami, Yosuke, Michael, and Kanji sat around a small battery-powered lantern, the crickets and cicadas chirping around them.  
"Ugh, I think I ate too much," Yosuke groaned before looking up at Kanji, "and how the Hell did you end up here?!"  
Kanji shrugged, "My teach threatened to hold me back a year if I didn't show. Plus, the first year's tent is all quiet, like someone died."  
"If you were in there with them, I'm not surprised," Yosuke said with a wince.  
Kanji looked around at the layout of the tent.  
"Three sleeping bags? Just you three in this tent?" Kanji asked.  
"Yeah, the others called in sick. Smart move," Yosuke replied.  
"I don't know about that, Morooka's gonna have their heads for it," Michael corrected.  
"So uh, it's cool if I hang out here for the night?" Kanji asked.  
"I don't see why not," Michael replied.  
"Yeah, stay as long as you want," Narukami agreed.  
Kanji smiled, "You're a couple of stand-up guys, ya know that? Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble for you. They won't catch me unless we raise a ruckus."  
Michael smiled wryly, "Us? Raise a ruckus? Perish the thought."  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Ugh, don't I get a say in this? Fine, you can sleep over there." He pointed to a corner of the tent which, for some reason, had a large protrusion beneath it.  
Kanji's eyes widened, "Dude, there's a huge rock under there. I can't sleep there, it'll hurt like hell."  
"Pipe down! Didn't you say you weren't gonna make any noise?!" Yosuke hissed.  
"Hold on a sec, why did you two build our tent on top of a boulder?' Michael asked.  
"It was Yosuke's idea," Narukami said quickly, pointing at Yosuke.  
"There was only supposed to be three of us when this was built, it didn't matter at the time!" Yosuke said defensively.  
"I can fit if you just scoot a little further back," Kanji suggested.  
"No, there's a slope just past here. I'd roll down the hill in my sleep," Yosuke explained.  
Michael facepalmed, "Really? You just had to take the path of most resistance, didn't you?"  
"Oh shut up! Maybe if you got here on time instead of flirting with Yukiko, you would have had a say in where we built it," Yosuke rebutted.  
Michael grabbed him by the collar, "How about I throw you down that hill right now?"  
Kanji perked up, "Oh, Hell yeah, a brawl! Now this is what this boring campout was missing!"  
Narukami pulled them apart before the argument escalated, "Hey! Shhh! Do you two want King Moron to hear you?!" he hissed.  
Reluctantly, Michael let go of Yosuke's collar and the two settled down.  
"Hey, isn't King Moron your homeroom teacher?" Kanji asked.  
The boys nodded.  
"That guy stopped me outside earlier and he pissed me off so bad I was about to lose it. He was going on and on about what I was like in middle school, when he doesn't know shit about any of that!"  
"Yeah, that guy's got a speed record for jumping to conclusions," Yosuke said.  
Kanji leaned in, "Check this out, right? I heard this from a guy in my class. He said that asshole was talkin' shit about those two women who died."  
They exchanged looks of disgust, concern, and curiosity.  
"King Moron was talking about Ms. Yamano and Saki-senpai?" Yosuke asked.  
"Yeah, he was sayin' somethin' like 'It's no surprise that people who are unfaithful or run away from home meet a bad end'."  
Michael scratched his head, "Okay, so the unfaithful person is obviously Ms. Yamano, but I never heard about Konishi running away from home?"  
Yosuke took a deep breath, "There were rumors awhile back that, over last winter break, Saki tried to elope with an older guy. She vanished for awhile before coming back one day as if nothing happened. The family tried to keep it hushed up, but you know how small town gossip goes," he explained.  
"I see..."  
"I mean, who knows, this kid could have just been exaggerating about what he heard. Everyone seems to hate that son of a bitch Morooka," Kanji said.  
"Damn, I can easily picture him saying stuff like that," Yosuke grimaced, "He never shut up about me either when I moved here last year. "  
Yosuke turned to face Narukami and Michael, "Has he said anything to you two?"  
Narukami shrugged, "Other than his colorful introduction of us on our first day? I haven't had much issue with him since," Narukami said, "How about you, Michael?"  
Michael ran a hand over his face, "He takes offense to Yukiko and I's friendship. He says stuff about how the Amagi family must be morally bankrupt to allow a boy, a foreigner no less, to live under the same roof as their daughter."  
"At least he's consistent," Yosuke groaned.  
"Even if some of the stuff he says might be a little true, it still pisses me off. That dickhead's a damn teacher, for god's sake," Kanji growled.  
"Feh, don't waffte yourf energy getting piffed at that clown," Yosuke said, his voice partially muffled by something in his mouth.  
"What is that incessant crunching?" Michael asked, irritated.  
"Just haffin' a snack," Yosuke replied.  
"Didn't you just say you ate too much?"  
Kanji perked up, "What the hell are you eating?!"  
"...animal crackers?" Yosuke said innocently.  
Kanji slammed a fist down on the ground, "Wait a minute, those are mine! Dammit, I was so pumped about finding the penguin today..."  
"What penguin?"  
Kanji grew even more angry by his ignorance, "The secret animal cracker! You were eating them without even knowing to be on the lookout for it?!"  
"Are you serious?! You should have said something!" Yosuke admonished him.  
"HE should have said something? You're the one eating his food!" Michael replied viciously.  
Kanji sighed, "It's cool, Michael-senpai. I'll just find it in the next box."  
Yosuke yawned, "Come on guys, we're tired, tempers are running high, let's just go to sleep."

The boys all laid down next to each other, but kept a respectable gap between themselves. At Yosuke's insistence, they kept the lantern on.  
"Kanji, don't you have more room on your side?" Yosuke asked.  
Kanji glanced over at the bulge caused by the boulder, "Man, I can't sleep over there. My back's gonna break."  
Michael sighed, "Just switch places with me, Kanji."  
"Really? You sure?"  
"If it will get Yosuke to shut up, I insist."  
The two switched places and the group settled into silence once more, that is until Yosuke decided to speak once more.  
"Hey, Kanji?"  
"Yo?"  
"Why did you come to this tent?"  
"Huh? I already told you. The hell's wrong with you?"  
Yosuke sat up, "Look, this is as good a time as any, I want you to be honest with us."  
"Uh...okay?"  
Yosuke bit his lip, "Are you really...you know?"  
Kanji's eyes narrowed, "Am I really what?"  
"What I mean is, uh...are we gonna be safe alone with you?"  
At this, everyone sat up and looked at Yosuke.  
"Yosuke!" Michael hissed.  
"What the Hell's that supposed to mean, huh? I already told you guys I ain't like that!" Kanji stammered.  
"Then why are you getting so hot and bothered about it?! That's just more suspicious!" Yosuke challenged him.  
"Oh Hell no! We settled this already, dammit! Right now, I'm...well...uh...how do I put it..."  
"Oh god, don't trail off like that! Now I'm even more freaked out!"  
"I'm trying to tell you I have no problem with being around girls now!"  
"Can you prove it?!"  
"Hey let's not escalate this any further," Narukami cautioned.  
The pair ignored him.  
Yosuke continued, "If you can't prove it, we're gonna be stuck here all night scared half to death."  
"Tch...to hell with this! If that's what you really think of me, then I'm gonna go hit the girls' tent right now!" Kanji declared.  
Yosuke drew back, "What? Wait, that's a little extreme! You don't have to go that far!"  
"He's right, this is a bad idea," Narukami said.  
"Exactly! They'll expel you if they find you! Remember, Morooka's got his eye on you!" Yosuke said.  
Kanji laughed dryly, "Like that would stop a man like me!"  
Yosuke turned to Narukami and Michael, "This dude's seriously gonna go for it, you two gotta stop him!"  
"Once again, you look to us to clean up your mess," Michael said venomously.  
Narukami looked Kanji in the eye, "Seriously, don't do this."  
Kanji's rage eclipsed his reason and their pleas went unanswered.  
"I'll show you guys that I ain't gonna put up with this crap! To Hell with King Moron, no one's stopping Kanji Tatsumi, dammit!"  
With a savage battle cry, he sprinted out the flap of the tent.  
"Hey, wait!" Yosuke called out after him, "What a putz. I declare myself not responsible if anything hap-"  
A hard smack on the back of his head from Michael's large hand ended his declaration.

 _Meanwhile, in the girls' tent..._

"Thank you for letting me stay in your tent, senpai," Kyrie said sweetly.  
"It's no trouble, for some reason, everyone else went to different tents," Yukiko explained, folding her clothes.  
The large girl named Hanako was sharing a tent with the girls and had already collapsed, the harsh, hacking sound of her snoring filled the air.  
Kyrie lifted off her Yasogami jersey and the girls gasped at what they saw. All up and down Kyrie's torso were multiple black and purple bruises.  
"Kyrie-chan, what happened to you?" Chie gasped.  
Kyrie glanced down and squeaked in shock before hastily putting her shirt back on, "N-Nothing!"  
"Nothing? Bruises like that don't just appear on their own," Yukiko pressed.  
Kyrie laughed nervously, "I mean, it's nothing to be worried about it. I just fell down the stairs at home, clumsy me!" She said with a forced smile.  
Chie and Yukiko looked at each other incredulously.  
"Kyrie-chan, if something happened to you, you can tell us," Yukiko urged.  
Kyrie shook her head, "I just fell down the stairs, really!"  
"Kyrie-chan..." Chie tried to renew their urgings, but Kyrie deflected the conversation.  
"So did you all like my burgers?" she asked quickly.  
"U-Um, yes they were delicious," Yukiko replied.  
Chie nodded, "Better than delicious! Did your mom teach you how to cook like that?"  
Kyrie's face fell and she slowly shook her head, "N-no...my mom isn't..."  
"Isn't a very good cook?" Chie guessed at the ending of the sentence.  
Kyrie half-smiled, "Yeah, that's right."  
Yukiko pouted, "She's in good company..."  
Kyrie turned and laid down on her sleeping bag, "I'm sorry, I'm just really tired right now." She reached into her bag and pulled down a worn wolf plush toy. She fussed over it like a mother with a child, carefully straightening out the disheveled fur.  
"That's an adorable stuffed dog," Yukiko observed.  
Kyrie smiled widely, "Thank you, my dad gave it to me. It's a wolf, by the way."  
"A wolf, of course, how silly of me. How does your daddy feel about you being so far ahead in school? I bet he's proud," Chie said with a smile.  
Kyrie's face fell, "He was kill-...he died."  
Chie and Yukiko's eyes widened before Chie hung her head in shame.  
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know," she murmured apologetically.  
Kyrie took a deep breath, "I know...it's okay."  
With that, Kyrie tucked the stuffed wolf underneath her arm and rolled over, settling into sleep. Yukiko and Chie exchanged concerned looks, but followed suit shortly after.  
Unfortunately, sleep would not come. The choking, hacking, snorting snoring of their obese bunkmate kept even the Sandman at bay. Within minutes, the three girls were up once again, Chie going as far as to pace the tent.  
"I can't sleep..." Yukiko muttered.  
"Me neither..." Kyrie said in turn.  
"Maybe we should have eaten more of the curry," Chie suggested.  
Kyrie tilted her head, "Why is that?"  
"The smell might've knocked us unconscious," Yukiko quipped bitterly.  
Chie sighed, "We can't sleep, we can't walk around outside... I wonder what Teddie's doing right now?"  
"I bet he's lonely," Kyrie murmured.  
"A little while ago he was telling me that-" Chie tried to hold a conversation, but the oppressive snoring invaded her mind and derailed her train of thought. In a final, desperate attempt to drown it out, Chie placed her hands over her ears. The disgruntled growling coming from her throat told Yukiko and Kyrie that this particular tactic was not working.  
"That's it! Yukiko! Kyrie! We're out of here!" Chie announced.  
Yukiko sighed, "Where would we go, though? I don't think it's a good idea climbing down the mountain at night..." She thought for a little longer, "Hmm...Oh, I know! Maybe she'll stop snoring if I cover her nose and mouth!"  
Chie and Kyrie looked at each other in a panic and shook their heads vigorously.  
"No no, Yukiko, no!" Chie pleaded.  
"Well, she would stop snoring..." Kyrie laughed nervously.  
Suddenly, a rustling in the bushes became audible to them, along with the sound of footsteps.  
The girls turned in fright at the tent flap.  
"Wh-who's there?!" Chie called out shakily.

 _Back at the boys' tent..._

"Okay so what would you rather do, get eaten by a shark or get eaten by a lion?" Yosuke asked.  
"Are we really playing this game?" Michael groaned.  
"Definitely a lion, it would probably be over faster," Narukami replied.  
"Okay, so how about this: which would you rather fight, a monkey with a rifle or a-" Yosuke began, but was cut off by a hand raised by Michael.  
"You can't answer before I finish," Yosuke said dryly.  
"No, fool! Listen!"  
They all stayed quiet until a familiar voice whispered just outside, "Hey, you guys still up?'  
The boys all looked at each other in surprise.  
"Is that you, Chie?" Narukami asked.  
"Not just me, Yukiko and Kyrie are here too," came the reply.  
"What're you doing here?! This is the guys' side!" Yosuke hissed.  
"Just let us in!" Chie replied impatiently.  
"Don't be ridiculous! If King Moron finds us, we'll all be expelled! Go back to your tent!"  
"We can't!"  
"What do you mean you ca-"  
A sudden sense of dread came over them as Morooka's voice became audible in the distance.  
"Are there any rotten applesh out and about?! Any indeshent shtudentsh out here?!" Morooka's voice was noticeably slurred.  
Michael scrambled over to the tent flap and unzipped it, "Hurry in, quick!"  
Chie, Yukiko, and Kyrie all slipped in single-file.  
"Why're you three here, anyway?" Narukami asked.  
"Well, it's Kanji-kun...he's out cold," Yukiko said.  
"He's out cold...in your tent?" Michael asked, his eyebrow raised.  
"We don't know how it happened! He burst into our tent and just...fainted all of a sudden," Chie stammered.  
"But Chie-senpai, didn't you kick-" Kyrie began, but was cut off by a furiously nodding Yukiko.  
"Y-Yeah that's all that happened," Yukiko said shakily.  
The boys eyed them suspiciously.  
"Something doesn't add up here..." Michael said.  
"Well we weren't gonna sleep with a boy lying there! And if we tried to wake him up, he might've made a fuss," Chie explained their excuse.  
"That doesn't make any sense. He just burst into your tent and suddenly fainted?" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
"Lishen up! Being insholent and being indeshent are two very different thingsh!" Called out Morooka's voice again, closer this time.  
"It's him! He's right outside!" Yosuke whispered.  
Michael reached over quickly and turned off the lantern, letting pitch dark swallow up the enclosure. The heavy, stumbling footsteps drew closer and closer and a few of the teens found themselves holding their breath. Michael felt a hand wrap around his and squeeze it tight. Without pause, he squeezed back.  
"Hey, are you three in there? Ansher me, dammit!" Mr. Morooka demanded, the moonlight outlining his silhouette faintly through the canvas.  
"W-We're here," Narukami responded.  
"Ahh, sho you ARE in there. Ish Hanamura aleady ashleep?"  
"Yes sir! I'm fast asleep, sir!" Yosuke called out.  
Michael facepalmed and he heard at least one other person, probably Chie, do the same.  
"Don't get cute, Hanamura! Shut up and go back to shleep!" Mr. Morooka yawned loudly and began muttering to himself in his stupor, "Ugh, I think I had one too many. I'm sho shleepy..."  
His silhouette vanished and his footsteps went further and further away until they were audible no more.  
"I think it's safe, I'll get the light again," Narukami announced.  
Just as the light came back on, the hand in Michael's drew back to its owner's side. He looked over and saw that it was, to his silent delight, Yukiko. She did not meet his gaze, but he could tell her cheeks were a little pink.  
Yosuke let out a loud sigh, "There goes a couple years off my lifespan."  
"No joke, we were nearly expelled," Chie agreed.  
"This situation would have been very...uncomfortable to explain," Michael said, dabbing at his forehead.  
Kyrie tilted her head, "Why would it be uncomfortable?"  
Michael laughed bitterly, "Unfortunately, you'll understand when you're older."  
Kyrie shrugged and let the subject drop.  
"Was it just me, or was King Moron drunk? Narukami asked.  
"I think you're right! It's kind of a good thing he was, he probably would have searched the tent otherwise," Chie replied.  
"Hey, this is all you guys' fault!" Yosuke exclaimed, jabbing a finger at the girls.  
"Wh-what else were we supposed to do?!" Chie said defensively, "Besides, we can't leave now. We'll sneak out before the others wake up tomorrow. Is that good enough for you?!"  
Yosuke was about to make his rebuttal, but Michael cut him off.  
"I suggest you agree to their terms, Yosuke, lest they find out exactly what transpired here tonight and who is truly at fault," Michael warned.  
Yosuke froze, and then nodded, "Fine..."  
Chie jabbed a finger at him, "And you better not try any funny stuff while we're asleep, is that clear?"  
"Remember, you owe us for this!" Yosuke snarled.  
Over a few minutes, they erected a barricade of bags separating the boys' side from the girls' side. Michael slept closest to the barricade with Narukami in the middle and Yosuke on the end.  
"Hey, Michael," Yosuke whispered.  
"What?" Michael grunted into his pillow.  
"Can we switch spots?"  
"Not a chance."  
"But I'm laying on the rock!"  
"Not my problem."  
"What?! But you offered to switch places with Kanji last time!"  
"That was Kanji, this is you," Michael sneered.  
"Besides, we want you as far away from us as possible!" Chie called out from the other side.  
There were a few more moments of silence and it seemed as if all was to be quiet at last.  
"Hey, Chie? Yukiko?" Yosuke called out once more.  
"What now?!" Chie hissed.  
"...You sure you guys don't wanna, I don't know, brush your hair or something? Maybe a pillow fight?"  
Before they could respond, Michael sat upright and turned to face Yosuke.  
"Yosuke, I've got something for you," he said.  
Yosuke sat up and looked at him, "Oh yeah? What-"  
The last thing Yosuke remembered was Michael's balled fist heading straight between his eyes.


	34. June 18th

**Disclaimer: Kyrie Hajime is an OC created by user XxWolfLord95xX**

June 18th

Keeping true to their word, the girls returned to their tent just before first light, but not before Kyrie insisted on bandaging Yosuke's bruised nose. Little sleep was to be had amongst them the night prior and the effect of such a deficit was pronounced.  
"I'm so tired," Yosuke groaned in the middle of prolonged yawn.  
"I'm surprised you stayed conscious after that slug from Michael," Narukami said, combing his hair back into place.  
Yosuke looked around, "Where is the big man, anyway?"  
"He's gone over to the girls' tent to see if he can recover Kanji," Narukami replied.  
Yosuke raised an eyebrow, "Wait, 'recover Kanji'? What the Hell happened over there anyway?"

 _Meanwhile, at the girls' tent..._

Michael stood just outside the flap of the tent and slowly paced back and forth. The morning air hung thick with ambient moisture, each inhale bringing within him a dull, comforting fullness to his lungs and a rousing stinging to his nostrils. The girls sent for his assistance and he stood by awaiting their briefing.  
"Michael-kun, we could use your help now," came Yukiko's voice.  
Michael looked around quickly to see that no one saw him and hastily ducked in.  
"Now what's all this about," he said sleepily before his eyes fell upon the matter of urgency.  
Beneath the still-slumbering form of Hanako, lie the lean outline of a trapped Kanji Tatsumi. Michael was immediately awakened from his fatigue.  
"Good God woman, you left him here in such a state?" Michael snapped at Chie before rushing to Kanji's side.  
"He wasn't like this when we left him! She must've rolled over on him or something!" Chie stammered.  
"Will she not wake?" he persisted.  
"We've tried. If it weren't for her snoring, you'd think she was dead," Yukiko explained.  
"Then what do you expect me to do here?"  
"Maybe, with your help, we could roll her off of him?" Kyrie suggested.  
"Under normal circumstances, I would not lay my hands upon a sleeping woman," Michael replied with uncertainty in his voice.  
"Of course, NORMAL circumstances," Chie replied.  
Michael pondered for a moment before making for the tent entrance.  
"Where are you going?!" Chie hissed.  
"To procure a fulcrum."  
Minutes later, Michael came back with a large branch and wedged it beneath the sleeping girl.  
"Okay, I'm going to push down on this as hard as I can, which will, in theory, give you enough room to extract Kanji from his fleshy entombment," Michael explained.  
The girls nodded and took their positions.  
"On my mark," Michael said, tightening his grip on the branch.  
The girls nodded in response.  
"1...2...3!"  
Michael's knuckles went a pearly white and his face reddened in strain as every muscle in his body was committed to his task. The moment the gap he had parted was widened enough, the girls scrambled in and dragged the torpor-stricken Kanji to safety.  
"We got him!" Kyrie cried.  
With a grunt, Michael let the branch fall from his hands and Hanako returned to her previous completely-prostrate position, not stirring in the slightest. Michael quickly came to Kanji's side. He was unresponsive.  
"Is he...okay?" Yukiko peeped.  
Michael placed two fingers against the artery in Kanji's neck. With a sigh of relief, a strong pulse beat forth still.  
"He yet lives," Michael said with a dry smirk, the comedic nature of the situation now hitting him fully.  
"Why doesn't he wake up?" Kyrie persisted.  
Michael looked around the tent before turning to Yukiko, "Do you still have that curry you made last night?"  
"You mean, 'Mystery Food X'?" she muttered darkly.  
"The very same."  
The girls thought for a moment.  
"There should still be some in the pot on the grill...we didn't have the stomach to get close enough to throw it away," Chie said with a cringe.  
Michael clasped his hands together, "Fetch me a sample, even a small cup will do."  
"Um, are you sure that's wise?" Yukiko asked him skeptically.  
"I rarely request things I do not think wise," Michael said with a wry smile.  
After a moment of hesitation, Kyrie trotted out of the tent and came back moments later with a cup of the pungent concoction.  
"H-Here you are, senpai," Kyrie said, choking back a gag as she held the specimen at arm's length.  
Michael covered his face with the top of his shirt and held the mixture underneath Kanji's nose.  
"Rise and shine, Tatsumi, rise and shine," Michael quipped, though muffled by his shirt.  
Seconds later, Kanji's eyes shot open with a choking gasp.  
"Wha- Who- Where- the Hell?!" he stammered, desperately trying to wave away the cup being held to his nose.  
Chie and Kyrie grabbed hold of him in an attempt to calm him.  
"Easy, big guy, easy," Chie said.  
"We should get him some fresh air," Kyrie suggested.  
Kanji held his head in his hand and shook it slowly, "Shit, what happened last night?" he groaned.  
Michael offered a hand to help him up and Kanji accepted it.  
"You fainted, my friend. These girls saw to your care," Michael lied.  
The girls looked at him in complete shock before nodding vigorously.  
"Yes! Yes, that's what happened! We were all so worried," Chie said nervously.  
"Y-Yeah! You were sick, that's all," Kyrie said with a nervous laugh.  
Kanji studied the tent's interior and tried to recall the events of the night prior.  
"I remember...storming out of the guys' tent because Yosuke-senpai pissed me off. Then...then I can't remember, dammit," he said lowly.  
"Chie discovered you passed out just outside their tent and she brought you in to shelter you from the elements and Mr. Morooka's vigilance," Michael explained with additional fabrications.  
Kanji's face reddened, "So I...slept with Chie-senpai and Yukiko-senpai all night?"  
Like the strike of a snake, Yukiko's open palm made sharp contact with Kanji's cheek.  
"Ow!" he grunted.  
Michael could not help but smile, "I trust you are quite lucid now. To answer your question, no. The girls found...other accommodations for the night. Sorry if that disappoints you."  
Kanji shrugged and averted their gazes, "Huh? N-Nah, ya know, whatever. But damn, I'm all sore. It feels like a gorilla used me for a teddy bear."  
 _You are not far off,_ Michael thought to himself.

After assisting Kanji back to the tent, the boys met up with the girls down by the river. The whole way, Yosuke's face was bright and joyful, despite the bandage across the bridge of his nose. They arrived aside a gentle cliff that dropped off into the basin of a waterfall. The mist thrown up by the falling water creating a canvas for a rainbow illustrated by the late-morning sun.  
Yosuke scanned the area, "Looks like we're the only ones here," he observed.  
"That's weird, this is like the perfect day for a swim," Narukami wondered aloud.  
Kanji sighed audibly, looking troubled.  
"Yo, you okay?" Yosuke asked him.  
Kanji had an expression of deep thought on his face, "It's so weird...I know I got pissed and ran out last night...then Michael-senpai woke me up...What happened before that?"  
Chie laughed nervously, "Nothing, nothing. You just fainted, that's all."  
"Uh...okay?" Kanji said, but did not sound convinced.  
"Now that that's settled, let's get swimming!" Yosuke announced giddily.  
"Are you seriously going swimming? I'll pass, I'm still all stiff," Kanji said, wincing in pain.  
"I'm gonna pass as well," Michael announced.  
"What's the matter, can't swim?" Narukami asked.  
Michael shook his head, "No, I'm an expert swimmer. However, I refuse to swim in rivers or streams."  
Yosuke raised an eyebrow, "Uh, why?"  
"You never know what's upstream."  
Yosuke laughed, "Now you just sound paranoid. Oh well, more water for us. Right, Chie? Yukiko? Kyrie?"  
The girls looked at him with contempt.  
"If you all wanna go swimming, go right ahead," Chie said matter-of-factly.  
Yosuke smirked, "You know, you three still owe us."  
Chie and Yukiko looked startled, "Huh?! Whoa whoa whoa whoa, we're not going in there. I mean, we do owe you but...oh! We don't have our swimsuits with us. Man of all the rotten luck," Chie said in a light panic, "Right, Yukiko?"  
"Huh? Oh yeah, it really is unfortunate," Yukiko agreed.  
"Don't even own one," Kyrie said with an innocent smile.  
Yosuke studied them for a moment, "Oh, I see how it is. We put up with your dinner, we save you from King Moron, and now you won't have fun in the river with us."  
Chie shook her head violently, "No no! It's really too bad. It'd be no problem if we had swimsuits."  
Yosuke's grinned widely, "Is that so? Well, it's a good thing I got you covered," he said before setting down his bag and, after rummaging through it, pulled out three female two-piece swimsuits.  
"Taadaa!" he announced proudly.  
The entire group's eyes were all on him with mixed shock, dismay, and disgust.  
Yosuke carried on regardless, "They're Junes-brand originals, from our brand-new line of swimwear that just came in for the summer. I had a clerk friend of mine pick them out for me, pretty swanky, huh?" he explained to the less-than captivated crowd.  
"Dude, that is just wrong..." Chie said with subdued disgust.  
"Did you have those this whole time?" Yukiko asked bitterly.  
"You are such a pervert," Kyrie growled.  
"C'mon, let's all go swimming!" Yosuke said with renewed enthusiasm.  
The girls exchanged worried glances.  
Michael cleared his throat, "While I protest the entirety of this nonsense, need I remind you that Kyrie is only twelve?"  
Yosuke winced, "O-Oh yeah, well I mean, I guess she's exempt from it, ya know, if she wants."  
"You can burn mine," Kyrie said darkly.  
"Wait, that just leaves us! What should we do, Yukiko?" Chie pleaded.  
"'Oh, it would be no problem if we just had swimsuits'," Yosuke mocked.  
Chie growled in response.  
"We really were looking forward to that dinner, to think that our underclassman had to come and bail you out..." Yosuke continued.  
It was Yukiko's turn to growl.  
" I wonder what would have happened if we didn't help you last night," Yosuke persisted.  
"We get it already! Sheesh, you never let things go!" Chie snapped.  
"Haha, alright! That's more like it!" Yosuke said excitedly, shoving the swimsuits into the girls' hands.  
With pouts on their faces, the girls walked off to change.  
Yosuke clapped a hand on Narukami's shoulder, "We should go get changed too, partner."  
"I'm just gonna sit here, gotta get my mind straight," Kanji said, plopping down cross-legged on the grass.  
Yosuke winked at Michael, "You gonna hang around to see the girls?"  
"No, I will be taking a short walk in the woods, enjoying the open space after a night of being cramped up," Michael said tersely.  
Yosuke shrugged, "Whatever floats your boat."  
Michael spit on the floor, "Halfwit," he muttered.  
Kanji looked up at him, "You and Yosuke-senpai not getting along?"  
"Differences of opinion," Michael replied.  
"Come to think of it, why is his nose all bandaged?"  
Michael smiled, "Differences of opinion."  
With that, he turned on his heel and strode into the forest, whistling 'Dixie'.

The morning light danced on the forest floor between the shadows of the leaves. Clumps of wild flowers bearing various colors sprang up around the trunks of the trees and Michael took to plucking the ones that caught his eye.  
 _She'll like the red ones,_ he thought to himself in approval, bundling the stems together with a rubber band.  
He was roused from his thoughts by a rustling in the bushes. Instinctively, he ducked behind a tree and peeked around to the source of the noise. Crouched amongst the brush, a boy of high school age was slowly moving between the trees. Michael squinted in an attempt to identify the blurry figure. The boy wore a yellow shirt with pixel artwork figures on the front. His pants were once blue jeans that had since been allowed to fade to white with a blue tint. Michael's heart jumped when the boy looked in his general direction and he saw his eyes. Goldfish eyes. The eyes of Yukiko's stalker. In an instant, Michael pulled the billy club from where it was tucked in his rear waistband and leapt out from behind his hiding spot.  
"Hold it, mister!" he shouted.  
The boy jumped and looked like a deer caught in headlights, but recovered quickly and took off into a run. Michael gave chase, keeping one eye on his quarry and the other scanning the ground for obstacles. The boy was not as fast as Michael, but he was far more nimble being able to dodge low-hanging branches and taking sharp corners, such abilities denied to Michael by his height.  
"Leave me alone!" the boy shouted.  
His voice was a cracking one and Michael determined the boy's voice had barely begun to change.  
 _Such a cliché with these perverts,_ he thought bitterly, jumping over a protruding root.  
The boy's nimbleness had finally exhausted and he stumbled on a large rock, falling face first into the dirt, Michael right on his tail. The boy rolled over to face him and scrambled backwards until his back was against a tree.  
"I got you now, you little prick," Michael spit, his chest heaving.  
At this point, Michael noticed the boy had a camera around his neck.  
"Give me the camera, boy," Michael ordered.  
The boy shook his head violently, "No, it's mine, asshole!"  
"Give it here or I will hang you by the neck from its strap."  
The boy hesitated, but finally slipped it off and handed it to Michael who snapped it out of his hand. Michael opened the picture storage and began flipping through the saved images. Among them were pictures of Yukiko outside of school, outside the inn, at Junes, and most recently, around the campground and in her swimwear.  
"You get off on taking pictures of her, do you?" Michael growled, placing the camera down on a boulder.  
The boy did not respond.  
Michael brought his billy club down hard on the camera, smashing it.  
"No! That's-" the boy tried to get up, but was stopped as the bottom of Michael's boot pushed him back down again.  
"You're a sick puppy, kid," Michael said, his grip tightening on his billy club.  
"What are you gonna do, huh? Kill me?" the boy sneered.  
Michael studied him for a moment, "Don't think I haven't a mind to do so. However, my rage will be satisfied when I drop you at the stoop of Detective Dojima's door."  
Michael grabbed the boy's leg and began to drag his writhing form behind him.  
 _Finally, I shall get to the bottom of this,_ he thought.  
He was stunned for a moment as a shrill scream echoed from where he had left his friends.  
"Yukiko!" Michael gasped.  
The boy took advantage of Michael's momentary bewilderment to kick his leg free and scramble back to his feet. Michael swung round with his billy club in an attempt to knock him flat again, but his truncheon did not meet its mark. With his prisoner fleeing in one direction and a cry of distress in the other, Michael made the choice to come to the aid of the latter. With a curse, he sprinted back through the thickets to Yukiko's aid.

Michael burst through the bushes, truncheon in hand.  
"What happened?! I heard screaming," he heaved, out of breath.  
"Kanji-kun's nose was bleeding!" Yukiko cried.  
Michael surveyed the scene. On the side of the cliff, stood Chie, Yukiko, and Kyrie, the former two in their swimsuits.  
"And where is Kanji, pray tell?" Michael asked.  
Kyrie pointed over the cliff.  
Michael looked over the side of the cliff and saw Narukami, Yosuke, and Kanji standing in waist-deep water, shivering violently.  
"Oh thank God, Michael! You gotta save us! They've gone nuts!" Yosuke called up to him, his teeth chattering.  
Michael turned back to the girls, "I'm going to out on a limb here and say that they were not submerged by their own accord."  
"They totally had it coming!" Chie said.  
"Even Kanji? For having a nosebleed?" Michael asked incredulously.  
Kyrie spoke up, "That was me, it was just really gross," she said.  
Michael nodded in understanding. He looked up at the girls again, the sight of them in their swimsuits finally sinking in. He immediately looked away.  
"S-Sorry, I didn't mean to stare," he stammered.  
"W-Well, say something," Yukiko said.  
"What?"  
"Yeah! I mean, don't just get all quiet like that, you're making it awkward!" Chie insisted.  
Michael turned to look at them once more. Chie wore a striped yellow and orange bikini top with turquoise shorts. Her figure was slim with slight and lean muscle visible around her legs and midriff. His eyes, however, settled on Yukiko. She wore a white swimsuit with pink outlines and ties. In place of the standard bikini bottom, she wore a white swim skirt. Her womanly features were accentuated in such scant clothing, her endowment more accurately noticeable outside of her standard conservative dress.  
"You look...very...nice, Yukiko. Er, you both do, I mean, that is to say-" Michael stammered, his face flushed.  
Yukiko blushed, "N-Nice?!"  
Michael was almost forced to clarify his comments, but Kyrie called to them and freed him from his obligation.  
 _Saved by the bell,_ he thought to himself while breathing an audible sigh of relief.  
He and the girls ran to see where Kyrie was pointing.  
"Look, King Moron is puking in the river!" she said, laughing.  
In the distance, they could see the silhouette of a retching Mr. Morooka crouched beside the river, coughing the contents of his stomach into the current.  
"Oh yuck! So that's why no one was here!" Chie exclaimed.  
"Good thing we noticed before we went in," Yukiko agreed.  
Kyrie was still laughing, "Oh no, and the boys are swimming in it!"  
"Hey, what's going on up there?! We're swimming in what?!"Yosuke called out in a panic.  
"Moron vomit!" Kyrie called back.  
As if to confirm her story, Morooka coughed out another, as Michael put it, 'Technicolor yawn'.  
Michael smirked, "And to think you called me paranoid, Hanamura," he called down to them.  
Kanji, Narukami, and Yosuke all stared at the riverbed, not a word between them until Kanji spoke up.  
"Uh...senpai?"  
"Don't. Say. It." Yosuke said bitterly.  
"I feel as though a million showers will never make me clean," Narukami lamented through his clenched teeth.

That evening, Michael settled down to a late dinner in the Amagi Inn's private dining room. He had made his own supper from the leftover ingredients that Chie and Yukiko purchased for their ill-fated meal.  
"No sense in letting these go to waste. Worry not, you will not meet the fate of your peers," Michael said to the pickled beets floating in the bowl in front of him. Just as he took a bite, the sliding door opened and in stepped Yukiko back in her usual casual attire.  
"Hey there," Michael said, dabbing the red broth from his beard.  
Yukiko smiled, "May I join you for a moment?" she asked.  
Michael motioned across from him, "Please."  
"Thank you," she said, taking her seat.  
There was silence between the two of them for a moment, a troubled look on Yukiko's face.  
"Look, about the whole swimsuit thing," Michael began, "I said you looked nice, but 'nice' was really an understatement. You were...you're quite beautiful."  
Yukiko flushed, "Michael-kun, I'd really rather just forget about all that."  
Michael held up his hands, "Of course you do, sorry."  
She smiled, "...But I am happy you...never mind."  
Michael studied her for a moment before leaning back against the wall, "I hope this doesn't sound rude, but I feel as though you came here to talk to me about something outside of our usual chats."  
Yukiko nodded, "It's about Kyrie-chan..."  
"What about her?"  
Yukiko hesitated for a moment, "I don't know if it would be proper for me to say. I'm not saying I don't trust you, but I feel as though I would be betraying her confidence if I said anything to anyone."  
Michael took a bite from a ball of dough he fried in meat grease and swallowed it before replying, "Is it related to the case?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, I don't think so."  
"Is someone in trouble?'  
Yukiko bit her lip, "Might be."  
"Who?"  
Yukiko hesitated for a moment before sighing, "Kyrie herself."  
Michael's eyes widened, "She told you this?"  
"No. In fact, she did everything she could to hide it."  
"What is the nature of this trouble?"  
"I can't be sure."  
Michael leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, "Then what evidence have you of this concern?"  
Yukiko looked him in the eye, "You promise you will keep this between us?"  
Michael nodded, "On my honor."  
Yukiko leaned in and her voice lowered to a whisper, "When we were changing in our tent last night, Chie and I saw bruises on Kyrie's body."  
"Bruises?"  
Yukiko nodded, "Black and blue marks all around her torso."  
"Were these marks anywhere else? Her legs or arms, perhaps?"  
Yukiko shook her head, "No, just her torso."  
"And did you ask her about them?"  
"She said she fell down the stairs."  
Michael thought for a moment, "She fell down the stairs, but had no marks on her arms, legs, or head?"  
Yukiko nodded.  
Michael stared at the ceiling in thought.  
"You think someone beat her?" he finally asked.  
Yukiko winced, "The thought crossed my mind. She was so evasive about it, I found it all strange."  
Michael slowly nodded, "Can you remember the bruises? How they looked?"  
Yukiko thought for a moment, "Maybe."  
Michael grabbed a white napkin and spread it out on the table. He made a fist and dipped his knuckles into the red broth of the pickled beets and then placed it on the napkin, making a red stain.  
"Did it look like that?" he asked.  
Yukiko studied the stain for a moment before shaking her head, "No, I don't think so."  
This time, Michael dipped the ball of his palm into the broth and made the stain the same way on the napkin.  
"How about like this?"  
Yukiko nodded, "Yes, that's the shape!"  
Michael sighed, "Whoever did this to her is likely a veteran at being a piece of shit. This method of striking someone rarely leaves marks, and when it does, they fade quickly."  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "So you think it is abuse?"  
Michael shrugged, "It's very possible, considering the information you've provided."  
"But, why didn't she fight back or defend herself?"  
"I think she did. Even if the abuse was composed of controlled smacks, there would be injuries on the arms, at least. I think it is likely this particular incident occurred right before the campout. In a panic, she used the few of those medicinal leaves that she brought along to heal the visible injuries on her arms and legs to hide the assault. In doing so, she ran out of said leaves which would explain why she did not offer to use them on Yosuke's nose or Kanji's injuries," Michael theorized.  
Yukiko thought hard for the next few moments, piecing all the evidence together. Finally, she looked up at Michael.  
"Wh-what should we do? " she asked, her voice shaking.  
Michael reached over and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Right now, we give her our friendship and our protection. In the meantime, I'll do some sniffing around about her and her mother. That's where we'll start."  
"Is there nothing more we can do?" she asked.  
Michael looked at her with apologetic eyes.  
Yukiko sighed, "Suddenly, fighting Shadows seems all too easy..."


	35. June 22nd

June 22nd

"That concludes Rise Kujikawa's statement regarding her temporary leave of absence from the entertainment industry. We're short on time, so if anyone has any remaining questions, we ask that you keep them brief."  
Michael lifted the phone up to his ear, "Sorry, I'm refreshing myself on Rise-san's press conference. Seemed like the best way to kill the time before the clock strikes midnight," he said, the gentle sound of rain in the background.  
"I probably should have done the same. The suspense is always so stomach churning," came Yukiko's voice from the other end.  
Michael redirected his attention to the TV just as one reporter stood up.  
"My name is Ishioka from Lady's View. It says here that you will be recuperating - are you facing physical problems?" the reporter asked.  
The camera returned to the hourglass figure of Rise Kujikawa. Her hazel eyes looked tired and hopeless, a stark contrast to the well done makeup and meticulously-styled copper-colored hair. Something about the sadness in her eyes made Michael feel as though he was sharing her burdens on command.  
 _That aptitude for summoning empathy in others must be how she's fared so well in the business,_ he mused.  
"No, my health isn't an issue-" Rise began to reply.  
"So psychological problems then?" the reporter persisted.  
Rise looked visibly taken aback, "W-Wha-"  
"Rumor has it you'll be staying with your relatives, but isn't that in Inaba where the murders have been taking place?"  
Rise seemed bewildered by the barrage of questions, "Huh? Um-"  
"Is it true that they run a traditional tofu shop? Will you be helping out with the family business?"  
Finally, an agency spokesman stepped in front of Rise's podium and put an end to the interrogation.  
"No more questions! This press conference is over! Clear the way, please!"  
The scene cut back to the anchors' newsroom, "Once again, this has been a rerun of our breaking news in entertainment regarding rising star pop idol Rise Kujikawa taking a leave from the industry," the anchor concluded.  
Michael flicked off the TV and rubbed his eyes, "Poor girl."  
"Michael-kun, the TV!" came Yukiko's voice urgently over the phone.  
Indeed, the TV flickered to life once more and figure appeared. The silhouette of a young lady wearing a swimsuit or perhaps lingerie who was moving about provocatively appeared on the screen through the static. The shot appeared to be zooming in mostly on her chest and hips. Just as quickly as it appeared, the image faded once more.  
"Was that...?" Yukiko asked slowly.  
"Rise-san? I'd say so. That hairstyle is hard to mistake," Michael replied.  
"But...those clothes she was wearing..."  
"Let's just focus on the fact that she is, indeed, on the Midnight Channel."  
"Y-Yeah, you're right-"  
Yukiko's voice was cut off by an incessant 'call waiting' notification on Michael's phone. He glanced at the caller ID and saw the winking face of Yosuke's contact picture on the screen accompanied by Narukami's deadpan one.  
"Sorry Yukiko, looks like I got the boys on the other line," Michael groaned.  
"Kyrie just called me, Chie will surely follow. We can compare notes at school tomorrow," she replied.  
"As always. Good night," Michael hung up the phone and clicked it over to the group call.  
"Good even-" he began.  
"DUDE! That was Rise for sure, right?! Rise Kujikawa!" Yosuke said excitedly.  
Michael instinctively held the phone away from his ear, disdainful of the shrill excitement in his voice.  
"You're right, I think it was," came Narukami's reply.  
"I thought so!"  
"Fellas, let's keep perspective here. If she's on the Midnight Channel, she's going to be targeted by the murderer. Perhaps we shouldn't sound so giddy about it?" Michael rebuked.  
"Oh, yeah...I guess you're right," Yosuke replied, "But still, that means we gotta go to her place tomorrow! What was it called again?"  
"Marukyu Tofu," Narukami replied.  
"Right! Guys, my heart's pounding already!"  
"Gee, I wonder why," Michael replied dryly.

Michael had just finished packing his schoolbag when someone knocked on the door to his room.  
"Good morning, Michael-kun," Mrs. Amagi said as opened the door.  
"Good morning, ma'am. What can I do for you?" Michael replied.  
Mrs. Amagi shifted uncomfortably, "I was hoping you could do us a favor for a friend of the family."  
"Of course, name it."  
"Does the name Rise Kujikawa ring a bell to you? Maybe under the stage name Risette?" she asked.  
Michael thought for a moment before carefully answering, "Wasn't she on the news a night or so ago?  
"She's a very popular idol who has been hitting the peak of her career lately. However, she announced a hiatus from the entertainment industry," Mrs. Amagi explained, "She's coming here to Inaba to stay with her grandmother at Marukyu Tofu. Unfortunately, the press has been able to get a hold of that information."  
Michael sighed, "And so, Ms. Kujikawa and her grandmother will be getting swarmed by shutterbugs and muckrakers."  
Mrs. Amagi nodded sadly, "Indeed. She is an elderly woman and despite everything, Rise is still a child. I fear for their ability to handle it all on their own."  
"I assume that's where I come in?" Michael said with a slight smirk.  
Mrs. Amagi smiled, "You were so good with keeping the press at bay when they were hanging around the inn. What's more, you fought off that gang of ruffians all on your own. I know it embarrasses you, but your nickname 'Sheriff' has become more of a title these days."  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "Just to clarify, I didn't fight that gang on my own. I trussed up one of them and Kanji-kun scared away the rest."  
"Nevertheless, you have a talent for this. I've already called your school, they confirmed that your grades are still top-notch and that you may take a day or two off if you must."  
Michael considered it for a moment.  
 _Having an excuse to keep her under surveillance could finally give us the advantage we need to catch the culprit,_ he thought to himself.  
"Very well, I'll do it," Michael said.  
Mrs. Amagi smiled, "Thank you, Michael-kun. I knew I could count on you. Rise-chan will be arriving later this morning, her grandmother asks that you be there before hand."  
"Very well. I will walk Yukiko to school and then double back to the shopping district," Michael said, unzipping his schoolbag and unloading its contents.  
Mrs. Amagi's smile faltered when she saw him slip the billy club into his waistband, "Michael-kun, as always, please be careful."  
"I always am."

Michael explained the situation to Yukiko as he walked her to school. After he saw her into the school doors safely, he doubled back to the shopping district. Marukyu Tofu sat right around the center of the district's main thoroughfare and Michael was able to see straight down to it. A very light crowd had already begun to gather, but Rise had not yet arrived. He took the opportunity to step into Daidara's Metalworks. Within the shop, a lean, slender man stood over a glowing forge, in one hand he gripped a set of tongs and in the other he held a sizeable hammer. Michael cleared his throat to announce his presence. The older man turned to face him and set down his tools. The X-shaped scar across his face was his most singular feature and was accompanied by a thin, white bandana that circled his head. An unusual trait in a Japanese gentleman, he had a thin, red mustache that connected with his sideburns and showed no signs of being dyed.  
"Now there's a face I expected to see in here again," the old man Daidara said, wiping his hands off with a dirty rag.  
"What can I say, you do good work," Michael replied, examining a suit of plate armor that stood in front of the counter.  
"How's that truncheon serving you?" Daidara asked, now standing at the cash register.  
"As Teddie Roosevelt intended, it works best when I speak softly," Michael quipped.  
Daidara's face hardened, "I've said it to you once and I will say it again, my pieces are not to be used to instigate violence, only for self-defense."  
"I share your sentiment," Michael said as he held out a set of handcuffs he picked off a display.  
Daidara raised an eyebrow, "So it's true, you're going to be guarding Marukyu."  
"I am."  
Daidara sighed as he rung up the purchase, "I know that, for right now, you're using your strengths for the right reasons. Just be mindful of how far you take it. Once a man tastes combat, he may find it difficult to resist it."  
Michael took the handcuffs and tucked them into his back pocket, "Thank you for the goods," he said. With that, he left the shop.

"Sir, is Rise-chan here?!"  
"This IS Marukyu Tofu, correct?!"  
"Do you have any insight as to Risette's departure from the industry?!"  
These questions and many like them assailed Michael as he stood at the top step leading into the shop. The reporters and fans had been insistent to get closer, but when Michael drew his billy club, they maintained their distance.  
"There is no one by that name here. You're all mistaken," was Michael's response.  
"Oh come now, the location of Rise's home has been leaked, the old lady even has the same last name!" came one reporter's reply.  
"You've been fooled. Not a difficult task, I assure you," Michael quipped.  
The motley assortment continued their questioning, but were shortly parted by two familiar faces.  
"Out of the way, Inaba PD!" Dojima barked, making his way through the crowd. He stopped short when he saw Michael standing in the threshold.  
"...Shouldn't you be in school?" Dojima asked.  
Michael pulled out his phone to look at the time, "School was let out two minutes ago."  
"...Shouldn't you have BEEN in school?" Dojima said with a sigh, "Look I appreciate the help you've been giving to the community, but you shouldn't let yourself fall behind for it. C'mon, Adachi will take over out here. Let's you and I go inside for a moment."  
"Wait, what? But I was gonna buy some-" Adachi began to protest, but was shut down by a hard glare from Dojima.  
"...Yes sir," Adachi acquiesced with a sigh and dutifully took position outside as Michael followed Dojima inside.

The store was empty aside from the elderly proprietor behind the counter who greeted the two men with a warm, but tired, smile. The crowd had scared off the usual customers.  
"Ahh, Ryotaro-kun, how are you?" she asked.  
Dojima smiled, "Probably better than I realize. I came to check up on things here, have the crowds been behaving themselves?"  
"Oh yes, no incidents yet. Michael-kun has been doing a good job," she said.  
Dojima surveyed the shop before speaking once more, "Is she here?" he asked lowly.  
The old lady nodded, "Yes, we've been keeping her working in the back. Michael-kun, would you be a dear and go check up on her for me? Help yourself to a Topsicle from the freezer for your trouble."  
Michael gave a slight bow, "Thank you, ma'am."  
Michael left them to their conversation and went around the counter into the back room. Metal shelves filled with utensils and cooking supplies stood tall forming small rows and a couple freezers were pressed against the wall. At the furthest wall stood Rise hunched over a sink.  
"Rise-san, your grandmother inquires after you," Michael said, opening a freezer to find his Topsicle.  
Rise set down what she was working on and turned to face him. Once again, the sadness in her eyes made his stomach feel heavy.  
"...I'm okay," she said quietly.  
"Can I get you anything? Tea or coffee perhaps?' Michael asked.  
Rise tried to smile, but only one corner of her mouth rose, "No thanks."  
Michael hesitated for a moment, not sure whether to leave her in her current state.  
"Well, I'll get out of your hair. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me know," he said before turning toward the door.  
"...Wait," he heard her say behind him.  
He stopped and turned, "Yes?"  
"...Why are you here? To catch a glimpse of the famous Risette?" she asked bitterly.  
Michael could not help but chuckle at the question, despite the bitterness with which it was asked, "Miss, until a few months ago I was a resident of the United States with absolutely zero knowledge of Japanese culture post-World War Two. I'm just here to help out a neighbor."  
Rise looked at him in surprise, "Really? You aren't going to ask for an autograph? Or get my phone number?"  
Michael laughed, "I hadn't planned on it, no."  
With that, he noticed her shoulders relaxed, "Um, one more thing," she said.  
"Shoot."  
"...On second thought, I think I could go for a cup of tea."  
Michael nodded, "Coming right up."

Michael took his position once more at the top of the stairs. Adachi had clearly been busy as Michael noticed parking tickets on the windshields of a multitude of cars that lined the street. The young detective was now standing in the middle of the street directing traffic. From his vantage point, Michael could see Narukami, Yosuke, and Kanji approaching the crowd.  
 _Dammit, not now,_ he thought.  
He pulled out his phone and tapped on Narukami's name in his contacts.

 **Michael: Yu, get out of here, your uncle's inside.**

Michael looked up and, to his dismay, saw Narukami did not notice the text alert.

 **Michael: Yu, seriously, check your phone**

The trio remained oblivious and began speaking to Adachi. Oddly enough, Adachi began looking more and more uncomfortable before finally hurrying off down the street, abandoning his post.  
"What the Hell...?" Michael said under his breath just as Dojima came up next to him.  
"Michael, I gotta head out. I'll leave them to you, but if you get in over your head, you call us, got it?" Dojima said, a tone of warning in his voice.  
"Yes sir. Drive safely," Michael replied.  
"Alright, clear out! Coming through! Hey, Adachi-" Dojima hollered as he parted the crowd. He looked to where Adachi had been directly traffic and saw that he was nowhere to be found.  
"Dammit, I told him not to leave his post," he muttered before his eyes fell on his nephew and the others.  
"What are you guys doing-" he began as he walked up to them, "Hm? Kanji Tatsumi...?! Are you friends with them?"  
Kanji turned away, "Like that's any of your business."  
Dojima studied him hard, "If you say so. I'll ask again, what's your business here?"  
"We're just passing by," Narukami answered innocently.  
 _Really? Just passing by? The most platitudinous excuse in the book?_ Michael thought incredulously.  
"...Is that so?" Dojima said, clearly not convinced.  
"W-Well, who wouldn't wanna come check it out if they found out an idol's family ran the local tofu store?" Yosuke stammered, "I'm...uh, a big fan!"  
Dojima studied them some more, Yosuke and Narukami clearly nervous under the scrutiny while Kanji remained impassive. Dojima finally sighed.  
"Okay, fine. But remember: she might be a celebrity, but this is her home. Try not to bother her too much. Your friend, Michael, is in charge of keeping the peace here, but don't think he won't throw you out just out of deference to your friendship. Understood?"  
"Yes sir," Yosuke said.  
"Yes, uncle," Narukami replied in turn.  
Kanji remained his semi-respectful insubordination.  
After studying them a moment longer, Dojima set off down the sidewalk, leaving the trio to their devices.  
"Aw man, there's no one in there but the old lady. Risette isn't here after all," one man in the crowd announced.  
"That's what I've been trying to tell you," Michael responded.  
The announcement, along with the threats of their cars being towed, dispersed the crowd quickly.  
"What, rumor?! She's not here?! Seriously?!" Yosuke lamented.  
Kanji snickered, "You sound like the world's about to end."  
"Shut up! Anyway, now that all those people are gone, we might as well have a look around inside," Yosuke suggested.  
"Michael's here too, he might know something," Narukami added.  
The trio approached the threshold where Michael was standing.  
"Hey man, we're just gonna-" Yosuke began, but was stopped as the tip of Michael's billy club was pressed against his chest.  
"Hold there," Michael said.  
Yosuke laughed, "Okay man, we get it. You're the big bad wolf, but we mean no harm. We're just gonna look around."  
Yosuke made one more attempt to push past him, but was shoved back.  
"Some ground rules first," Michael said tersely, "First of all, I will accompany you in. Lastly, you will keep the conversation related to the case and the case alone."  
"Wait, so Rise IS here?" Narukami asked.  
"Keep it down!" Michael hissed, "But yes, she is. Agree to my terms, and you can come in to see her."  
"We'll behave," Yosuke said, but his flushed face betrayed his excitement.  
Michael surveyed the street once more before stepping aside, "Alright, come in. I'll take you to her."  
He led them into the shop to the counter where Rise and her grandmother were working with their backs turned toward them. The old lady turned at the sound of their entrance.  
"Oh, Michael-kun. It would seem the crowd has dispersed," she observed.  
Michael nodded, "My lies along with police presence seemed to work wonders. Forgive me, ma'am, but these gentlemen here asked to be allowed entry to purchase tofu. They promised to spend quite a bit of money and I felt it was not my place to turn down the business."  
The trio turned to him in surprise.  
"S-Spend quite a bit of money?!" Yosuke protested.  
"I-I don't-" Narukami stammered.  
Michael laughed, "They are just being modest."  
The old lady turned to her granddaughter, "Rise, would you mind helping them? These old hands are getting stiff, I'm going to go run them under some warm water." With that, the proprietress shuffled off to the back room.  
Rise wiped her hands on her apron and turned her head slightly, "How can I help you?" she asked with a sigh.  
"Uh, you're Rise?' Kanji asked.  
"Yeah. So?" she replied bitterly.  
Narukami and Yosuke's eyes widened at the sight of her face. Even Michael admitted to himself she was quite beautiful, despite the work clothes.  
"No way, are you really Risette?" Yosuke echoed excitedly.  
"What do you want?' Rise replied, aggravation in her voice.  
"Yes, Hanamura-san, what do you want?" Michael asked through clenched teeth.  
Yosuke winced, "Huh? U-uh s-sorry, um... Some tofu, please!"  
"Me too," Narukami added.  
"You asked for tofu...at a tofu shop. Okay, which kind?" Rise asked.  
Yosuke panicked, "Huh?! Wh-which one's which again?"  
"If you're going to eat it by itself, you should choose silken. Momen's better for cooking. It depends on how you use it," Rise recited.  
Yosuke brain was clearly short-circuiting, "Uh...uh..." he stuttered before turning to Kanji, "Psst, Kanji, order something!"  
Kanji gave him a confused look, "Why're you making me do it?! You said you wanted ganmo when we came in!" Kanji sighed and shook his head, "Dude here wants three ganmodoki."  
"Okay. I'll go get them," Rise said as she stepped off to fetch the order.  
"If you guys can't pull yourselves together, I'm kicking you out of here and I'll question her myself," Michael snapped.  
"Oh come on, you can't blame me for being star-struck!" Yosuke said defensively.  
"She seems pretty different than how she is on TV," Narukami observed.  
"She's just tired," Michael replied.  
Yosuke looked at him in surprise, "No way, have you actually been able to talk to her?!"  
"A little, enough to gather that much anyway."  
Yosuke's face brightened, "Still, I can't believe it's her! Mission complete!"  
Narukami cleared his throat, "But we haven't even got what we came for yet," he pointed out.  
"Oh yeah!" Yosuke said as she returned with a bag of ganmodoki, "Um, Rise-san?"  
"What?" she asked flatly.  
"H-Have you noticed anything weird lately?"  
Rise raised an eyebrow, "Weird? Like stalkers? Are you guys fans of mine?"  
"I wouldn't say 'we', but yeah, dude here's a big fan," Kanji said, throwing a thumb over his shoulder at Yosuke.  
"Y-You little! Why did you let that slip?!" Yosuke exclaimed.  
"What were you saying about her this morning? Oh yeah, 'her curves, her pos-'" Kanji continued.  
"Enough, both of you," Michael snapped.  
"Maybe you know already, but things have been dangerous in Inaba lately. We've been investigating some stuff," Narukami explained.  
Rise seemed a little more interested, "Oh yeah?"  
"Have you heard of something called the Midnight Channel?" Narukami asked.  
"...That thing that was on last night? That's the Midnight Channel, yeah?" Rise replied.  
"So you know about it?"  
"I've heard the rumors from some friends of mine. The girl last night wasn't me though, I've never been filmed wearing that swimsuit before. Plus," she shifted uncomfortably, "the bust-line was wrong."  
"What do you mean?" Yosuke asked.  
"Mine aren't that big," she finished.  
"Oh yeah, you're right..." Yosuke said absentmindedly before realizing what he just said, "I-I mean- What am I saying?! Dammit, I'm sorry!"  
A small smile came over Rise's face, "Don't apologize so much," she giggled, "You're funny."  
Yosuke's face lit up, "Hey, she smiled!"  
The smile faded quickly however and was replaced by a look of thought, "What is that show all about, anyway?" she asked.  
"We're not too sure either," Yosuke replied.  
Michael spoke up, "All we know is that whoever appears on there is kidnapped shortly afterwards. Your...personal details aside, we have reason to believe that the person on the Midnight Channel last night was, in fact, you."  
Rise looked up at him, "So that's why you're here, you're investigating this too."  
Michael nodded.  
"I know this is all sudden, but we're not lying to you," Kanji said.  
"So we came by to let you know to keep an eye out," Narukami finished.  
Rise thought some more, as if she was putting pieces together in her mind, "So...it wasn't all just a dream. I couldn't sleep last night, so I decided to try out the Midnight Channel rumor I heard about and I saw...Alright, thanks. I'll be careful."

Rise packed up the boys' orders and placed the bags on the counter, "There's a little extra in there for all of you, a little 'thank you' for worrying about me."  
"Whoa, seriously? Thanks!" Yosuke said happily.  
"I'll set some aside for you if you want some, Michael," Narukami offered.  
"No thanks, I gotta grab some when I leave anyway as a gift for the Amagis," Michael explained.  
Michael walked the boys outside, the clouds were ominously darkening.  
"Hey, sorry if we made you look bad in there," Yosuke said.  
Michael chuckled, "I can't blame you for being star struck, I suppose. Between us boys, if that were Laura Bailey in there, I'd probably have had the same reaction."  
"So, you heading home soon?" Narukami asked.  
Michael shook his head, "I'm gonna stick around until late in the evening and make sure all the nut-jobs are gone for good. By the way, where are the girls?"  
"They said something about having plans. Can't blame 'em, why would chicks wanna come check out another chick? Anyway, I'm gonna head home. I'm just down the street if you need anything, Michael-senpai," Kanji said.  
"Thanks, take care fellas."

 _Meanwhile at the Amagi Inn hot springs..._

"Oh man, it's been forever since I've soaked in this thing," Chie said happily, sinking into the steaming waters up to her nose.  
"This feels great, Yukiko-senpai! You get to use this every day?" Kyrie asked in awe.  
"I'm so glad you enjoy it," Yukiko said with a smile. She noted that there were no bruises on Kyrie today.  
"So, a wolf paw print bathing suit, huh? You must really like wolves," Chie observed.  
Kyrie smiled, "Mhm! My dad worked as a biologist at a wildlife center. He worked with wolves, bears, badgers, raccoons, but his favorite was wolves. He really admired the pack structure, how they treat each other as family."  
"Whoa, a biologist? Big brains must run in the family," Chie said with a giggle.  
"Does your mother share the interest in animals?' Yukiko asked.  
Kyrie's face fell, "Um, n-no."  
The atmosphere grew uncomfortably silent.  
"...I'm glad to see you healed from falling down the stairs," Yukiko finally said.  
"What do you mean?" Kyrie asked.  
"At the camp out, when we saw those bruises on you, you said it was from falling down the stairs."  
Kyrie froze up, "O-Oh, yeah! I feel all better now!"  
Chie and Yukiko looked at each other with visible doubt.  
"Kyrie, if something's going on, you can tell us," Chie said, "we're your friends, we want to help you."  
Kyrie slowly sunk down into the water, "...but you can't."  
"We could if we were given the chance," Yukiko persisted.  
"You don't understand."  
"Then explain it to us," Chie replied.  
Kyrie stared at the rippling of the water as small rain droplets sporadically struck its surface.  
"...It's all my fault," Kyrie murmured.  
"No way! Being abused is never your fault!" Chie objected.  
"Yeah, there is never a good excuse to hurt a fellow human being," Yukiko added.  
"No, it's not that...it's...I'm not feeling well. Can you take me home?"  
Chie and Yukiko exchanged glances.  
"I'm sorry, we made you uncomfortable. Please, just relax. We won't bring it up anymore," Yukiko said.  
Kyrie just nodded and, closing her eyes, to her neck in the steaming liquid.

 _Back at Marukyu Tofu..._

"Thank you very much, your receipt's in the bag," Rise said as Dojima picked up the bag off the counter.  
"Seems like the crowds have thinned out," Adachi observed before turning to Michael, "if it gets rowdy again, give us a call at the station."  
Rise and Michael nodded, "Okay."  
"Hang on a second. Sorry, but there are some things I'd like to ask you," Dojima said.  
Rise tilted her head, "Um, okay?"  
"You do know that there have been multiple cases of violence around here lately, yeah? Have you seen anyone suspicious around?" Dojima asked.  
Rise shook her head, "No...it's been like always."  
Dojima and Adachi exchanged concerned looks.  
"Like always, huh? Well, you're an idol, so I imagine you deal with folks like fans, paparazzi, and stalkers quite often."  
Adachi clapped Michael on the shoulder, "Good thing you got ol' Michael-kun here, he's the bane of their existence, believe me!" he said with a smile.  
"High praise from such a lofty source," Michael said with a half-smile.  
Dojima gave Adachi an irritated glance before turning back to Rise, "What made you take a break from showbiz anyway?"  
Rise turned defensively, "Does it really matter?" she snapped. With a sigh, she continued, "I just...I needed a rest."  
The detectives nodded solemnly.  
"Have you registered for school?" Dojima asked her.  
Rise nodded, "I'm planning on going to Yasogami High since it's the closest."  
The detectives exchanged glances once more.  
"I don't mean to alarm you, but...you do have some things in common with the previous victims," Dojima explained carefully.  
"And I might get kidnapped, right?" Rise finished for him, "I've been told that before. Don't worry, I'll be careful."  
Dojima's, Adachi's, and Michael's postures all stiffened.  
 _Shit, Hell of a time to start talking,_ Michael thought to himself.  
"Huh? Someone told you already?!" Adachi asked in surprise.  
"Uh yeah, there were these guys who came in. They were all wearing uniforms so I think they were high school students," Rise explained.  
Dojima's interest increased, "Did one of them happen to look...How do I put this...Did he look something like a gang member?"  
Rise nodded.  
Adachi turned to face Dojima in surprise, "Wait... You think she's talking about your nephew and his friends?"  
Dojima scratched his head before turning to Michael, "You know anything about this?"  
Michael shrugged, "I know they came in here, not sure what they talked about though."  
He noticed Rise look at him in surprise which turned into dismay.  
"You let a few high school boys into a shop that houses a female idol and you didn't bother supervising them?" Dojima asked.  
Michael's eyes narrowed, "Your nephew, Yu, is a respectful man with strong integrity of character. I would not have let them in here otherwise. What's more, is that Rise-san nor her grandmother reported any misconduct."  
Dojima studied him awhile longer before sighing and beckoning Adachi to follow him.  
"Something smells here..." Michael heard him say as the pair stepped out into the rain.  
Rise walked up to Michael with apologetic eyes, "Did I get you and your friends in trouble?"  
Michael shook his head, "No, nothing of the sort, miss."  
"But that detective seemed really mad."  
Michael forced a smile, "He's always like that. Dojima-san is a good man, just intense at times."  
Rise thought for a moment, "...so one of the boys who came here was his nephew?"  
"Yeah, looks like detective work is in the DNA."  
"It wasn't the one who looked like a gang member, obviously. So which one was it?"  
"The one without the foot in his mouth," Michael said with a wry smile.  
Rise grinned, "...the gray-haired one? He's actually kinda cute."  
Michael laughed, "If you say so, miss."

Michael arrived back at the Amagi Inn late that night, his clothes somewhat damp from the steady rain that had set in. Yukiko sat with him as he ate a late dinner to discuss their findings for the day.  
"I see you got free tofu for your efforts," Yukiko said.  
"Yeah, you're welcome to my share. I'm not a tofu-eating sort," Michael said, pushing the plate towards her.  
"So what was she like?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael shrugged, "She seemed like a girl who wants to be left alone to decompress. As a result, I didn't talk to her much, but she's nice enough."  
"Did you tell her about the Midnight Channel?"  
"She already knew about it. We explained to her the implications of it all and she said she'd be careful. It was odd, though. Maybe it was the fact that she was tired, but the news that she was at risk of being kidnapped and potentially murdered didn't really seem to faze her all that much," Michael explained.  
"I guess I can understand that. It would be one of those things that would be very difficult to really believe, let alone accept," Yukiko said.  
"You're probably right. How about you, what did you do today?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko set down her chopsticks and stared at the table, "Chie and I brought Kyrie to the hot springs."  
Michael stopped his fork midway to his mouth and set it down again, "Did you learn anything?"  
Yukiko nodded slowly, "I think so. She was still evasive about the abuse, but she didn't outright deny it this time."  
"Well, that's a start. Unfortunately, Rise's impending danger has to take priority here," Michael said.  
Yukiko sighed, "I know, but-"  
She was interrupted as Michael's text alert went off.

 **Narukami: Michael, you there?  
Michael: I am. What's going on?  
Narukami: What happened after we left?  
Michael: What do you mean?"  
Narukami: My uncle just asked me if we talked to Rise about the murders. Did he say anything to you?  
Michael: Yeah, but I pled ignorance. Rise-san sends her apologies, she didn't realize she was getting you into trouble by talking to Dojima.  
Narukami: I don't think I'm in trouble. I just told him we went there to share gossip. It made us look like dipshits, but I think he bought it.  
Michael: Troubling, but we can't lay low now. Rise's clearly a new target, we'll just have to cast the die.  
Narukami: Agreed. **

"Is everything okay?" Yukiko asked.  
"Yeah, it's just Rise's arrival has got the town all stirred up and Dojima along with it. Don't worry, Narukami's got it covered."  
The sound of the rain hitting the window grew louder.  
"The Midnight Channel will be on again tonight," Yukiko said darkly.  
"Looks like it," Michael nodded.  
There was silence between them before Yukiko spoke once more.  
"M-Michael?"  
"Hm?"  
"Are you going to finish that fried tofu?"


	36. June 23rd

June 23rd

Midnight arrived and the Midnight Channel followed suit. The fuzzy image appeared once again, showing the provocatively gyrating female figure with an even greater emphasis on her waist and chest than the night prior. The image was clearer tonight, however, and to Michael's dismay he was able to clearly discern the mischievously smiling face of Rise Kujikawa. Just as quickly as it appeared, the image faded once more.  
"It's getting clearer every night...this can't be good," he murmured to himself.  
Once again, his phone lit up with the contact images of Narukami and Yosuke on the screen.  
"You have King," Michael said as he answered.  
"Hey! We were right about it being Rise Kujikawa!" Yosuke said.  
"I figured that was the case, but we can be sure about it now," Narukami added.  
"Indeed, however I'm sure you all noticed the...pronounced difference in particular attributes?" Michael said carefully.  
Narukami cleared his throat, "Yeah, hard not to."  
"Something about that makes the Rise on the Midnight Channel seem so much creepier for some reason, but we could see her face clearly. There's no mistaking it," Yosuke explained.  
"And if her image is becoming more recognizable, I can't help but feel we are drawing perilously close to the murderer's strike," Michael added.  
"We should all meet up tomorrow for sure," Narukami stated.  
"I would, but I may have to sit that one out. I'm still supposed to be guarding Marukyu and all things considered, I probably shouldn't leave that post," Michael said.  
"Oh yeah, you're probably right. Why don't we all meet at Marukyu after school instead of Junes then?" Yosuke suggested.  
"We should avoid going there as a group unless it's our last resort. If my uncle catches us there we'll have a hard time explaining it," Narukami replied.  
"It's okay, fellas. I'm sure Yukiko can fill me in the details afterwards. Go ahead and go to the usual spot at Junes tomorrow. With Dojima sniffing about, any deviation from our usual routine will not go unnoticed," Michael reasoned.  
"He's right. Either way, we should all get some sleep tonight. Good night, guys," Narukami said.  
"Good night," Michael replied and hung up.

The team, sans Michael, met up at their usual table at Junes after school that day. All the Investigation Team members were awake and alert to the proceedings, except for Kanji who was leaning forward and staring into his lap.  
"So about the Midnight Channel last night, that had to be Rise Kujikawa. It even showed her face this time," Yosuke opened.  
"So now we know one more thing, the ones the culprit's targeting are..." Yukiko began.  
"...Broadcasted on TV. No mistaking it," Narukami finished.  
"Exactly! So now, once and for all, we can rule out the connection that they were all connected to Ms. Yamano somehow," Yosuke explained, "As for Rise herself, I peeked inside the shop on my way to school this morning. She was still at the shop."  
Kyrie breathed a sigh of relief, "So she hasn't been taken yet."  
"Michael-kun is still on watch there as well. If anything comes up, he promised he would call me here," Yukiko added.  
"That makes sense. I think we can guess that the weird 'TV show' appears only after the victim's been thrown into the TV. As long as their image is still obfuscated by static, we can assume they're still safe," Narukami theorized.  
Yosuke nodded, "That would hold up with the past cases."  
"Teddie had mentioned that the TV show and the areas the victims are found in might be created as a byproduct of the victims themselves entering that world. It didn't make much sense to me at first, but I think that connection has been made evident," Yukiko theorized, "The one that appears on the TV is one's other self... Maybe the victims true feelings are shown unconsciously."  
The group mulled this information over until Chie spoke up.  
"But...we see them on the Midnight Channel before they disappear? You know like, when they're really fuzzy and can't tell who it is. How do you explain that part?" she asked in confusion.  
"Yeah, you're right...it always happens before someone disappears. It's like some kind of advanced notice," Yosuke added.  
"Or a ransom note. But who are they announcing it to? And for what?"  
"I dunno, ask the killer. There's a bunch of stuff I still don't understand."  
Yukiko spoke up, "Is it possible we see those images for the same reason?"  
Chie tilted her head, "Huh? What do you mean?"  
"If the Midnight Channel shows the victims true feelings, maybe it does the same for the culprit. Michael-kun and I were discussing this while doing chores one evening. I had brought up how the rumor started, that the person you see on the screen is your soul mate. He made a comment that it was strange how, despite that rumor, everyone is actually seeing the same thing. With that in mind, perhaps the Midnight Channel primarily reflects the culprit's intentions?"  
"So when the killer thinks, 'I'm gonna attack someone now', that's what we see on the TV?" Chie asked.  
Yukiko thought for a moment. Then, with a pout, shook her head, "I don't know..."  
"Well, if we're gonna go that far with it, can we say that the world is a mix of the minds of the victims and the killer? Maybe of everyone's minds?" Yosuke asked.  
Narukami held up his hand, "We don't have enough evidence to really be digging that deep into it. We know the world exists, that's a given, but why would someone want to use it to kill?"  
"Maybe the killer doesn't know that it kills people?" Kyrie suggested.  
Yosuke shook his head, "No, they've gotta know by now. Two people have turned up dead after being shoved in there. Plus, the TV's a great way to do it, the police can never prove anything about the crime."  
Chie looked across the table at the top of Kanji's head.  
"Hey, Kanji-kun, you still with us? You haven't said a word this whole time," she said.  
Kanji's head snapped up, a look of surprise on his face, "Huh? W-Well, umm..."  
Chie's eyes narrowed, "You weren't sleeping, were you?"  
Kanji drew back, "What? H-Hell no, I was just...lost in thought..."  
The group looked at him with contempt.  
"We were talking about the TV world being used to murder people," Kyrie said mercifully.  
"Oh, yeah, right! So, cold-blooded murder, huh? So the killer's got a grudge against certain people...Well, I know there's a shitload of people who are gunning for me, and Michael's probably got a few too." Kanji then turned to Yukiko, "How about you, Yukiko-senpai? Anyone hate you so bad they'd try to get rid of you forever?"  
"No," Yukiko said matter-of-factly.  
The group all exchanged incredulous looks.  
"Uh, heheh...Yukiko, There's always a slight chance someone does and you just don't realize it, you know?" Chie said carefully, "But if we're trying to come up with someone who has a common grudge against all the victims...I'm drawing a blank."  
"The only characteristics they share is the fact that they were on TV for awhile. Is that a reason to hate someone?" Kyrie said.  
"People have been killed for less," Narukami said darkly.  
"Well, the upshot is we have another chance at getting ahead of the killer. We should leave this all aside for now and focus on using what we know to catch him. When we do that, we can make him explain it all to us," Yosuke said confidently.  
"You're right. Michael's got Rise under his watchful eye, so we can consider her safe and sound while we observe the tofu shop from a distance and catch the culprit on his approach," Narukami instructed.  
"Can we really be considering Rise safe, though?" Kyrie said with concern in her voice, "For all we know, Michael-senpai and Rise-san are now both in harm's way."  
Yosuke smirked, "Michael'll be fine. I have firsthand experience with the fact that he's got mean right-hook."  
Kyrie nodded, but seemed unconvinced.  
Chie perked up, "Wait...another stakeout?"  
Yosuke grinned and winked, "Hell yeah! This time, we'll catch them in the act!"

 _Earlier, at Marukyu Tofu..._

The rumor regarding Rise's absence from Inaba must have circulated quickly, for as Michael approached the store that morning he found no reporters or photographers loitering by the entrance.  
 _Good, the killer will have no way to blend in,_ Michael thought optimistically.  
He stepped up to the top of the stairs and turned around to survey the area. The streets were more or less deserted as they usually were at this time in the morning, aside from the odd shopkeeper sweeping up the sidewalk in front of their businesses before opening. Satisfied there were no immediate threats, Michael stepped inside.  
"Kujikawa-san, it's Michael," he called out, wiping his feet on the doormat.  
The wrinkled, smiling face of the proprietress poked around the corner of the threshold leading to the Marukyu private rooms.  
"Good morning, Sheriff. I'm sorry, we're running a little late," she said.  
"Is everything alright?" Michael asked quickly, immediately gripped with subdued panic.  
The old lady seemed surprised by the seeming overreaction, "Oh yes, everything's fine. Rise is just a little late getting up. Apparently she got to bed late last night and had trouble sleeping."  
 _Got to bed late? She must've watched the Midnight Channel again,_ Michael theorized.  
"I understand. Is there anything I can do to help out in the meantime?" he asked.  
"Oh I would hate to trouble you, dear. But if you feel up to it, the counters could be given a quick wiping down."  
Michael smiled and bowed, "Consider it done."  
After the old lady returned to the private quarters, Michael moistened a cloth in the sink and set to work quickly wiping down the counters, his eyes regularly darting up to check the front door.  
 _As unlikely as it is that the murderer will waltz right in from the front, greater men have been caught off-guard assuming safety from such a brazen maneuver,_ he thought to himself.  
Just as he finished, he heard the door to the private quarters slide open once more and out stepped Rise dressed in her work uniform.  
"Good morning, miss," Michael said politely, setting the cloth down underneath the counter.  
"Mhm..." she murmured in reply, rubbing her eyes.  
Michael left it at that and walked over to the store's windows, examining the locks.  
"Everything alright?" he asked finally.  
She did not answer him immediately, focusing instead on her labor of loading the coolers with product. Michael shrugged off the silent treatment and surveyed the outside of the store once more. To his surprise, he saw Yosuke walk by outside, peering into the open front door of the store.  
 _Well well, what do we have here,_ Michael thought suspiciously.  
Yosuke slowed for a moment and squinted his eyes as if trying to get a better look. Michael glanced behind himself quickly and confirmed it was Rise who Yosuke was staring at. Then, seemingly satisfied by what he saw, he picked up his normal pace again and headed down the street.  
Michael was roused from his vigil when he heard Rise's quiet voice behind him, "...You guys were right."  
He turned to face her, but found her back was still turned to him.  
"About what exactly?" Michael asked, walking back to the counter.  
"The Midnight Channel. I saw it again last night. I saw my face," Rise said with a slight shake in her voice.  
Michael exhaled deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I reckon it was somewhat jarring."  
Rise turned her head to face him, a sad smile on her face, "...I'm used to seeing myself on TV."  
Michael nodded, "True, but did those appearances usually herald looming danger?"  
Rise's sad smile waned momentarily, "All this concern for me...I thought you weren't a fan?"  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Is being your fan a prerequisite for wishing to preserve your well-being?"  
Rise's face made a bitter expression, "In the business I come from, people only care about you if you can make them money. Your health, your life, it's all a commodity to them."  
Michael leaned on the counter, facing away from her and toward the door. He could not bear to see the general malaise present in her eyes any longer. As it had happened before, her mood commanded the tides of his own.  
"I watched one of your performances on YouTube last night," he finally said, still avoiding eye contact.  
"...And?"  
"Anyone who presumes themselves qualified to place a monetary value on such an incredible voice is delusional."  
Rise looked up at him and for second time in his life, he saw her make a genuine smile.  
"Aw, thank you. You know, I think that's one of the few compliments I received from a boy my age that didn't involve my body."  
That depressed Michael more than it should have.  
"I'm gonna go take a quick walk around the store's perimeter. If you need anything, don't be afraid to shout," he said as he pushed himself off the counter and headed out the front door.

The morning turned to afternoon and was entirely uneventful at the Marukyu tofu shop. That is, until Detective Adachi arrived.  
"Hello there!" the detective said as strolled into the store.  
"Afternoon, detective," Michael said with a smile and a nod.  
"Oh good, you're here! This is coming together nicely!" Adachi said excitedly.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "...What is?"  
Adachi straightened his back and puffed out his chest, "We're staking out the place. We're gonna catch this murderer this time for sure!"  
"So the police have drawn a conclusion that the murderer will strike here next?"Michael asked.  
Adachi faltered for a moment, "W-Well, it's possible. Your friends seem to be pretty confident about it, however."  
Michael's eyes widened, "My friends...? You've got to be kidding me."  
He hurried over to the window and surveyed the area outside. Yukiko, Chie, and Kyrie were standing in a small group in front of the store pretending to converse while Narukami, Yosuke, and Kanji walked back and forth up and down the street.  
"They came to you with this information?" Michael asked, unable to take his eyes off the complete inability of his friends to remain incognito.  
"Not exactly. I overheard their plan to stakeout this place while we were shopping at the same store," Adachi explained.  
 _Dammit Yosuke and Chie,_ Michael thought to himself, frustrated.  
"Far be it from me to tell the police how to do their job," Michael said carefully, "but don't you think that involving unsanctioned high school students in an official operation will taint any evidence you might collect in the process?"  
Adachi was momentarily taken aback, "Whoa, I didn't even think of- Err, I mean, they're here in a solely observe and report capacity. Totally fine...I think."  
Michael shook his head and sighed, "Sorry, don't mistake my fatigue for a lack of gratitude. I am glad you're here, Adachi-san. Having a badge around can only be a benefit."  
Adachi rubbed the back of his neck and grinned, "Aw shucks, just doing my job."  
Seemingly empowered by the praise, the detective puffed his chest out, scowled and marched to the threshold of the shop.  
"Come on out, you bastard. We're ready for ya," he recited dramatically.  
Michael judged by the contemptuous looks from his comrades that Adachi's dramatic declaration did not have its intended effect.  
"Incoming transmission!" The robotic voice barked from Michael's phone, alerting him to a newly arrived text.

 **Yuki: Hey, we're outside. Are you here?  
Michael: I am. Sorry I didn't come out to greet you, I don't feel comfortable leaving Rise-san alone.  
Yuki: You don't need to apologize, you're right where you need to be. Anything happen today?  
Michael: Negative. You folks come up with anything?  
Yuki: Not really, just a few theories about the Midnight Channel.  
Michael: Well the day is still young. By the way, if the murderer does show up...  
Yuki: Yeah?  
Michael: Please, be careful. Let Adachi-san and Kanji-kun handle the rough stuff.  
Yuki: It'll be fine. I know you wouldn't let anything happen to me.**

Michael stared at that last text, his heart swelling with pride.  
"That's a girl you're texting, isn't it?" he heard Rise say.  
He looked over and saw her staring at him with a mischievous smirk on her face, "And just how did you know that?"  
Rise giggled slightly, "No man smiles at his phone like that unless there's a pretty girl on the other end."  
 _Boy howdy._  
Michael smirked, "Watch out, Adachi-san, I think Miss Kujikawa here is after your job."  
Adachi winced, "Ugh...she'll need to take a number."  
"Look, up there!" they heard Yukiko shout from outside.  
Adachi and Michael ran outside immediately. Everyone turned to where she was pointing and saw, climbing up an electrical pole near Rise's room window, a middle-aged man wearing a backpack, camera, and glasses. Startled by the outcry, the man slid down the pole and immediately took off down the street.  
"Hey, he's getting away!" Chie cried.  
"Get back here!" Kanji shouted as the group ran down the street in pursuit.  
"Hey! Is all of you going really necessary?!" Michael called out after them, but they were out of earshot.  
He cursed and punched the door frame before stepping back into the shop.  
"Is everything alright, Michael-kun?" Mrs. Kujikawa asked, coming out from the private quarters.  
"We'll see when they return. How about you? You've been in the back most of the morning," Michael observed.  
"Oh just doing a bit of straightening up now that everything's quieted down. I just finished receiving a delivery, could I bother you to help me put the boxes away?" she asked.  
Michael managed a smile and nodded, "Of course, just point me to it."  
Mrs. Kujikawa smiled, "Thank you, sheriff. Rise would normally help me, but she's gone off somewhere."  
Michael froze and a cold sweat broke out down his back, "...gone off somewhere?"  
"Oh yes, but she's taken to doing that. The show business life has worn her out in so many ways, she gets the notion to take a walk sometimes and doesn't tell me."  
Michael slowly nodded and he intended to follow the old lady, but his legs refused to work as his anxious mind began spinning theories.  
 _There are two ways in and out of this place. She couldn't have snuck by me out the front, so it must've been out the back,_ he thought.  
Mrs. Kujikawa turned around and gave him a concerned look when she noticed he was not following her.  
"Is everything okay, Michael-kun?" she asked.  
Without a word, Michael ran past her into the storage room and out the back door into the alley. He swung his head from side to side, surveying both ends of the alley. By chance, he glanced down and, to his horror, saw one of Rise's shoes lying on the pavement. He bent over and picked it up to examine it.  
 _No blood. Found with sole facing the north end of the alley. No dirt drag marks on the shoe. Gravel found inside,_ he catalogued the details in his head.  
 _Conclusion: Vehicle was southbound. Shoe fell off while being lifted into vehicle. Gravel inside likely kicked up by vehicle tire. No blood indicates lack of struggle or open wound.  
_ "Goodness, Michael-kun, what's gotten into you?" he heard Mrs. Kujikawa say from behind him.  
He quickly tucked the shoe into concealment under his coat and turned around to face her.  
"Sorry, ma'am. I'm just uncomfortable with Rise-san walking around town alone all things considered," he lied.  
The old lady smiled, "You are so sweet to worry about her so genuinely. I promise you, she knows how to handle herself. You just come back inside and relax, maybe have a Topiscle until she returns."  
The old lady's ignorance of the real danger Rise was in was a blissful one and Michael could not bring himself to shatter it with factual contradiction.  
Michael managed a smile, "...You're probably right. Thank you, ma'am."

 _Meanwhile..._

"Stop running, dammit!" Kanji shouted after the suspect, the rest of the group following close behind.  
The pursuit came to a halt at a busy cross street buzzing with rush hour traffic. The suspect turned to face his pursuers and began slowly backing up.  
"D-Don't come near me!" he said nervously, glancing between the traffic behind him and the mob assembled before him.  
Kanji took a step forward, "Shaddup! What kind of idiot would listen to-"  
"I-I'll do it, you know! What're you gonna do if I get run over?!"  
The group all froze and quickly exchanged nervous glances.  
"What?!" Yosuke asked, sweat beading on his forehead.  
"Don't do this, we just want to talk!" Kyrie cried.  
"If the suspect gets injured, I'll be held responsible! My bosses will get really angry and-" Adachi stammered.  
The suspect took another few steps back, "I'll do it, I swear! S-So get outta here and stop chasing me!"  
Yosuke looked to Narukami, "Hey, what should we do?" he whispered.  
Narukami thought for a moment, "Distract him, then tackle him."  
Kanji nodded, "I'm on board with that."  
"But how will we distract him?" Yosuke asked  
As if on cue, Kyrie's voice rang out behind them, "Look! Over there! Risette in a swimsuit!"  
"That isn't gonna-" Chie began, but was shut up when the suspect turned to where Kyrie was pointing. In an instant, the boys were on him and dragged him to the sidewalk out of danger.  
"H-How dare you assault in ordinary citizen like this!" the man coughed.  
Kanji grabbed him by the collar, "Shut the Hell up, murderer! We're taking your punk ass in!"  
The man drew back and looked even more confused, "Wha-?! Timeout! What do you mean 'murderer'?!"  
"It's no use playing dumb!" Chie snapped.  
"W-Wait a second!" The man stammered, "I just really like Risette, so I wanted a peek inside her room! Look, see, all I have on me are a bunch of cameras!"  
"So he's a pervert too?!" Kyrie cried.  
Adachi pulled out his warrant card, "Yep, you're the culprit, all right. No two ways about it," he said before turning to the assembled teenagers, "All right, I'll take it from here. As for you," he turned back to the suspect, "We'll hear your story down at the station!...Ohh, how I've waited to use that line."  
The suspect got down on his knees at Adachi's feet, "Please! Let me go! I didn't do anything wrong! I know for a fact it's not a crime in this country to take pictures!"  
The man pleading seemed to put Adachi on even more of a power trip, "Hey, don't you understand what's happening here? You're under suspicion of murder! You're coming with me, we'll discuss this later!"  
In a flash, Adachi cuffed the man and turned back to the teenagers.  
"Wow, that went better than I thought! What a coup! I gotta thank you guys for all your help. Well done!" he said enthusiastically with a salute.  
The teenagers all smiled and flushed under the praise.  
"Oh, sure!" Yosuke said.  
"Honestly though, you really should stop getting involved in this stuff. It's dangerous and I know Dojima-san's been worried sick."  
"Looks like we won't have to worry about it anymore, thanks to you," Narukami said.  
"All in a day's work for Inaba P.D.!" Adachi said happily before turning on the suspect with a scowl, "C'mon, you! Let's go!"  
Adachi set off down the street, his suspect in tow.  
"Is it really over?" Yosuke asked incredulously.  
"The rest is up to the cops," Kanji confirmed.  
"Looks like the killer was a pervert, just as we thought," Chie observed.  
"Maybe we should've just let him get run over," Kyrie murmured.  
Chie's eyes widened as she was struck by the realization, "Wait...does that mean the case is closed?! Seriously?! Awesome!"  
"It's too bad Michael-kun wasn't here to see this," Yukiko said.  
"Oh man, I can't wait till we tell him. It might put a dent in that grumpy temperament of his," Yosuke snickered.  
"Rise will want to know the danger's gone, too," Narukami added.  
With a bounce in their step, the group set out to Marukyu to pass along the good news.

The group arrived outside Marukyu Tofu where Adachi was putting the suspect into the back of his car. Michael was standing outside, an agitated look on his face.  
"Hey man, guess what-" Yosuke began when Mrs. Kujikawa stepped out of the shop.  
"Oh, hello again! Have you come for some more tofu?" she asked sweetly.  
"Oh hello, um actually..."  
Mrs. Kujikawa chuckled, "Did you come to see Rise? She seems to have gone out."  
The group glanced at Michael's stony expression and then back at the old lady.  
"But wasn't she just here?" Narukami asked.  
"She does that sometimes. She'll wander off without a word. Michael-kun here was quite concerned about her as well. She's so lucky to have made such nice friends so quickly."  
The group's faces betrayed their concern.  
"She left...without saying anything?" Yosuke said slowly.  
"Everything is fine, she will be back shortly," Michael said, the tenseness in his voice and his facial expression making it sound more like a command than a reassuring argument.  
Adachi was oblivious to this and agreed heartily, "C'mon, you guys worry too much. She must've just stepped out. I mean, we got the bad guy right here."  
"What are you talking about?!" the cuffed suspect stammered defensively.  
"We'll discuss it later," Adachi growled before turning back to the others, "If you'll excuse me, I gotta take this guy in for questioning. Man, I can't wait to see the look on Dojima-san's face!"  
With that, Adachi went around to the driver's seat of his car and drove off whistling down the street.  
The group remained unconvinced. Fearful that they'll worry Rise's grandmother, Michael excused himself to go to them.  
"Pardon me, ma'am, but may I have a moment to speak to my friends? I'll be quick," he asked politely.  
"Of course, sheriff. Take all the time you need," the old lady said sweetly before stepping back into the shop.  
Michael approached the group, a mixture of aggravation and disappointment on his face.  
"What's going on here, Michael? Why aren't you out looking for her?!" Yosuke hissed.  
"There's no point," Michael said bluntly.  
"What do you mean 'no point'?!" Narukami asked incredulously.  
Michael pulled back the side of his coat and drew the shoe he had collected earlier from its spot tucked into his waistband.  
"This is Rise's shoe, I found it in the alley. With it, I found evidence she was put into a vehicle. In fact, while you all were chasing the red herring, it is very likely you ran right past the vehicle of her assailant."  
Michael's voice was steady, but the accusatory language was there. His rebuke for their kneejerk reaction was understood and felt by the team. In response, none could meet his piercing gaze.  
"B-But, we have to do something! There's gotta be someone that saw what happened!" Chie persisted.  
"I walked up and down that alley and around the corners. There are no CCTV cameras, no traffic cameras at the intersections. Our chance to act in prevention has slipped through our fingers once more," Michael replied, a slight shake coming to his voice now.  
The group was silent for a moment.  
"I love Risette, we can't leave it like this," Kyrie said, her eyes watery.  
"We don't. We did all we could at this point. The weatherman said it's gonna rain tonight. We just gotta keep an eye on the Midnight Channel with our fingers crossed," Kanji said.  
"If she appears on it," Narukami stated bravely, "we do what we always do and pull her out of there."


	37. June 24th

June 24th

As it had in all cases prior, when the clock struck midnight, the TV in Michael's room flickered to life.  
 _C'mon, fuzzy image. Just a fuzzy image, damn you,_ he thought to himself.  
It was not to be, however. To his dismay, a big 'LIVE' in bold white letters appeared in the top left corner of the screen and the image was crystal clear. The backdrop of the scene appeared to be a pink theater of a sort, with poles rising from the centers of tables and attaching to the ceiling. A familiar giggling was audible just off screen right before the star of the show walked into the shot. Before his eyes was Rise Kujikawa wearing a swimsuit that was clearly all too small for her.  
"Maru-Q! Push Risette! Good evening, good evening, I'm Rise Kujikawa!" she said in an airheaded and high pitched voice.  
She leaned over into the shot, augmenting her already pronounced cleavage and giggled.  
"This spring, one young girl levels up to be a high school idol! Yaaay!" she squealed, leaned back and crossed her arms, pushing her chest up at the same time.  
"So today, I'm gonna celebrate by pushing the limits of Standards & Practices! Does everybody know what time it is? That's right, it's show time!" she continued in her girly voice.  
She made a mockingly inquisitive look and placed a hand under her chin, "Show what, you ask? Hmhmhm...e-very-thing!"  
With this, she turned her back to the camera and ran to the back of the stage up against the curtain. She turned and faced it again, her cheeks flushed and a smile reminiscent of a saltwater crocodile on her lips.  
"Eee! How embarrassing! Is this too hot for TV? Well, if something is worth doing, it's worth doing all the way! I'm gonna bare it all for you!" she announced the last bit with an airy tone to her voice before giggling into her palm.  
"Heehee! Stay tuned!"  
At the end of her monologue, the image faded away into the black nothingness late of the usual.  
"Goddammit!" Michael barked, throwing the nearest book within reach at the TV screen. Luckily, the book's pages flew open and cushioned the impact, leaving the TV unscathed. Snapping him out of his rage was the ringing of his phone behind him.  
"Now I face out, I hold out, I re-" the song sang out, one that Michael in happier temperaments would listen to for a moment before answer, but in this instant he cut it off abruptly.  
"What!" he snapped.  
"Hey, did you see Risette on TV?" he heard Yosuke ask, oblivious to or ignoring Michael's aggressive tone.  
"Yes I did, and likely so did a good portion of the Inaba population," Michael replied, the bite still in his words.  
"Is she serious about baring it all?!"  
"Easy there, we have to remember that who we see on the TV is only the person's Shadow. Keep that in mind going forward," Narukami's calm, collected voice chimed in.  
"Yeah, but only we know that," Michael replied.  
He heard Yosuke sigh, "Man, is it just me, or are these shows getting crazier and crazier?"  
Despite the sigh, Michael could easily discern the excitement in Yosuke's voice at the prospect. His rage flared again, the kind of rage that would give him a gnawing pain in his stomach.  
"You listen here, we are going to rescue her BEFORE that happens, Hanamura. It was our countless blunders that permitted her to find herself in such a state, we will not reap perverse fruits of such failures for our own base and primal pleasure!"  
There was silence. His rant completed, Michael felt the pain in his stomach fade.  
"...You're right. We couldn't prevent it this time either, even after we knew who the target would be. Plus, that detective was no help at all. I guess we have to do this ourselves," Yosuke murmured, the tone of his voice having calmed to that of a reasonable temperament.  
"That's what we've been doing from day one. We'll contain this situation as well," Narukami stated.  
"Here, here. Good night, gentlemen," With that, Michael hung up.

The school day went by like a blur. With remarkable efficiency, the Investigation Team rendezvoused and hurried to the Junes electronics department.  
"Okay, time to jump in," Yosuke said, approaching the large TV screen.  
"Hold on, aren't you forgetting something?" Narukami said quickly.  
Yosuke nearly stumbled, "Huh? I am?"  
Michael nodded toward Kyrie, "The girl. This will be her first active combat mission."  
The whole team turned to face Kyrie, worry on many of their faces.  
"I-I'll be fine," she peeped.  
Michael and Narukami glanced at each other.  
"Your thoughts?" Narukami asked him.  
"I think now would be a good time to consider moving in a formation," Michael suggested.  
"Aw come on, you guys are over-thinking this," Yosuke groaned.  
"Nah, Senpai, they have a point. We can all fight like Hell, but she can't. As ugly as the bastards are, those Shadows aren't stupid," Kanji explained.  
"That's...surprisingly insightful of you, Kanji-kun," Chie observed.  
Kanji flushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "W-Whatever."  
"Nevertheless, he's right. We should split into two groups. Yosuke, Chie, you two are with me up front. Michael, Yukiko, Kanji, you three take the rear. Kyrie and Teddie will remain between us," Narukami instructed.  
One by one, the team climbed through the TV screen, each one quickly glancing around to avoid prying eyes before doing so. They landed onto the fog-covered black and white target painted on the floor of the other world's lobby. Huddled on the corner of the platform stood the round silhouette of Teddie, his back turned toward them.  
"Teddie?" Yosuke said as the group approached them.  
They heard Teddie weep.  
"What's wrong?" Narukami asked, concerned.  
"You were all having fun and forgot all about me! You a-bear-donded me" Teddie sniveled in a nasally voice.  
"...You actually get lonely?" Yukiko asked, slight surprise in her voice.  
"I can be a bear-y gloomy bear!" Teddie continued his whine.  
"Yeah yeah, cut the crap, bear," Yosuke snapped.  
"Did you just call my feelings crap?!" Teddie snapped back.  
"Guys, stop! Leave Teddie alone!" Kyrie cried out, running to hug him.  
She wrapped his rotund form in an embrace, nuzzling his fur. Teddie immediately brightened up.  
"Ky-chan, you're the bear-st friend a bear could ask for," Teddie said with a sniff, "You know, I keep wanting to cry, but nothing comes out."  
At this, even Chie and Yukiko felt the pity overcome them and they walked over to his comfort as well.  
"We'd never forget about you, Teddie," Chie said soothingly, patting his head.  
"Yeah, sometimes we even think about you," Yukiko added.  
Michael choked back a chuckle.  
 _Bedside manner of a convent prefect,_ he quipped.  
Teddie wiped his nose and turned to look at them, "Does that mean I can still try to score with you guys?"  
Kyrie gave him a light smack on the back of the head, "Don't be perverted!"  
Chie, however, laughed, "Wow, nice recovery."  
Yukiko scowled, "Can we PLEASE drop this whole 'scoring' thing?!"  
"Why don't I get to pet his soft fur?" Kanji muttered.  
Narukami stepped forward after Teddie's attitude seemed to recover.  
"Teddie, we're looking for Rise Kujikawa. Have you seen her?" he asked.  
Teddie thought for a moment, "Rise Kujikawa...? Maybe... I think someone was thrown in here. I smell someone new, but I can't tell from where."  
Yosuke growled, "What do you mean you can't smell from where? What use to us are you?!"  
Teddie look at him in a fury, "How rude! Here I am, pouring my heart out to you guys, and-"  
"Enough!" Michael barked, "Yosuke, shut your face unless something constructive dribbles forth. Teddie, what can we do help?"  
Teddie thought for a moment, "If I had some knowledge of her, or maybe a belonging, I could pinpoint the scent a little better."  
"Belonging...? Michael-senpai, don't you have something of hers?" Kyrie suggested.  
"Oh that's right, her shoe," Narukami said.  
Michael produced the small, slipper-like shoe from his waistband and handed it to Teddie.  
"Look for the carriage that resembles a pumpkin," Michael said with a snicker.  
The group looked at him in confusion.  
"The what now?" Chie asked, eyebrow raised.  
Michael looked at the ground, "Ugh, never mind."  
Teddie spun around and pointed down one of the branching pathways, "This way! Follow the bear!"

The group arrived outside a building with a night club-style storefront. The walls were bathed in a pink light radiating from a neon sign above the entrance that spelled out 'Marukyu'. Red roses in pots lined the red carpet walkway toward the door and the walls were adorned with posters of Rise's Shadow wearing the swimsuit that she had modeled on the Midnight Channel.  
"Are you sure Rise's in here?" Narukami asked, sarcastically.  
"I can smell her load and clear!" Teddie said confidently.  
"Dude, isn't this one of those adult clubs that you find attached to some old inn in a washed-up tourist town?" Yosuke observed.  
Yukiko and Michael's eyes widened.  
"No! Not like our inn! Our inn has nothing like this!" Yukiko stammered.  
"Forget about it, let's just get in there," Narukami said boldly, opening the double doors before them.  
"Right behind you, partner," Yosuke added enthusiastically.  
Chie smirked, "Quite the change in attitude from the bathhouse, boys."  
"Sh-shut up!" Yosuke exclaimed.  
The hallways of the club were lined with ornate end tables with flowers of various colors sitting upon each. Neon lights fashioned into the outlines of women with pronounced curves and figures were attached to the walls.  
"So, this is the inside of a strip joint," Kanji observed aloud.  
The group had followed the earlier plan. Narukami, Yosuke, and Chie led up front while Michael, Yukiko, and Kanji composed their rear guard. Kyrie and Teddie were placed in the middle, huddling close to one another.  
"Hey uh, is it just me or is something...weird about this place?" Yosuke asked, his eyes scanning the walls and ceiling.  
"You mean, other than the obvious?" Chie pointed out dryly.  
"Teddie, do you detect any Shadows nearby?" Michael asked.  
Teddie put his nose to the air and sniffed before shaking his head, "No...I don't think so, but my nose has been on the fritz."  
The group continued walking through the maze of hallways, all of which were decorated almost exactly the same. Such uniformity bewildered their sense of direction more than once.  
"I don't know, Senpai. It's quiet...too quiet," Kanji growled, his eyes narrowing.  
Yosuke coughed out a laugh, "Give me a break, dude. Now you're just looking for excuses to use cliché movie lines."  
As if to prove him wrong, several Shadows materialized out of the walls, ceiling, and floor. Both ends were surrounded within seconds.  
"Just had to open your big, fat, stupid mouth, didn't you?!" Chie hissed.  
"Dammit, enemy advantage!" Michael called out, "Narukami!"  
"I hear you! Everyone, get ready!" Narukami commanded as the Fool card appeared in his hand, "Izanagi!" he shouted as his masked Persona sprang into existence.  
The others followed suit and soon the fighting had overtaken the entire corridor.  
"There's a branch leading off this main hallway, we have to hold the line around it to give Kyrie and Teddie a route of escape!" Narukami shouted his instructions over the din of the fighting.  
"Acknowledged, Kanji!" Michael shouted, turning to his comrade, "Let's see what that beefcake Persona of yours can do!"  
Kanji grinned savagely, "Hells yeah! Let's go, Take-Mikazuchi!"  
The large, black, muscled humanoid Persona appeared out of thin air, its massive metal lightning bolt in its hand.  
"Suck it!" Kanji barked as his Persona dispatched an entire row of Shadows with one mighty swing.  
"T-Teddie..." Kyrie peeped nervously, glancing between the two sides.  
"D-Don't worry, Ky-chan, they'll keep us safe," Teddie said, but his voice was thoroughly shaky.  
Despite the increased vigorous fighting, the team was losing ground and the gap between the two ends shrunk more and more.  
"Michael-kun, behind you!" Yukiko shouted as Michael's Persona was kicked into a wall.  
"Hnng!" Michael grunted, his back arching in the pain.  
Taking advantage of the confusion, a Shadow dove straight for a gap between Michael and Yukiko in order to assault the noncombatants, Teddie and Kyrie.  
In a flash, Yukiko grabbed the billy club tucked in Michael's waistband and swung it outward, impaling the Shadow through the chest and causing it to disintegrate.  
"Whoa...Amagi-senpai, that was brutal," Kanji stated in awe.  
Yukiko smirked and blew a strand of ebon hair out of her face, but doubled over when her Persona, Konohana Sakuya, was struck across the stomach by an adversary.  
"Yukiko!" Michael shouted, turning to her.  
Taking advantage of his distraction, three Shadows tackled down his Persona, Sherman, and began a furious attack.  
"Michael-kun needs help!" Kyrie cried, running toward his crumpled form.  
"I got him!" Narukami shouted as Izanagi bought his sword down on the mass of Shadows, freeing Sherman from the assault.  
"They just keep coming!" Yosuke exclaimed as another wave materialized in the enemy's rear column.  
"Ain't livin' long like this, our attention is divided!" Michael barked back.  
Narukami thought for a moment and nodded, "Teddie, go down that hallway and get Kyrie out of here!"  
Teddie jumped in surprise, "I can't leave you, Sensei!"  
"We can't just- I won't-" Kyrie stammered.  
"Just do it, dammit! We'll catch up!" Yosuke shouted back, holding back a yelp as Jiraiya took another hit.  
"No!" Kyrie shouted back, her eyes watery.  
"We can't push back their assault and protect you at the same time! Get lost! Go!" Michael snarled as Sherman blew back another enemy.  
Teddie nodded and tugged at Kyrie's sleeve, "We have to go, Ky-chan!"  
"But-"  
"I can't bear to leave either, but we're being a furry big distraction!"  
Kyrie stood her ground for a moment before finally nodding and turning down the hallway, Teddie hot on her heels.

"Where are we going, Teddie?!" Kyrie cried, panting.  
"It should be this way! Or was it that other way..." Teddie called back, uncertainty in his voice.  
"Teddie!"  
"I'm sorry! All these hallways, it's im-paws-ible to sniff straight!"  
Suddenly, a feminine giggle echoed out through the hallways.  
"It's my first time, you know. I'm so shy, do you mind if we turn down the lights?" Rise's voice rang out.  
As she said, the lights in the area all went out at once, obfuscating everything around them.  
"Teddie?!" Kyrie called out, her legs stiffening in fear.  
There was no response.  
"Teddie!" She called out again, her voice shaking.  
Through sheer will, she began to walk again. The darkness was nearly all-encompassing. She held her hand in front of her face and was only barely able to make out the faint, pale silhouette.  
"H-Hello...? Teddie...? Senpai...?" she called out shakily.  
She began to feel the presence of another. A malevolent other. The feeling chilled her spine from her tailbone to the back of her neck and she found herself instinctively hugging herself.  
"Oh my, they're all dead," came a high-pitched, girly voice. It was not Rise's.  
"Who's there?!" Kyrie managed to say, the words catching in her throat.  
"You couldn't stop at just one, could you? You had to get even more blood on your hands," the voice came again, closer now.  
Kyrie spun around, looking wildly all around her. The darkness did not abate and the voice seemed to be echoing from everywhere. Suddenly, the lights game back on all at once, blinding Kyrie's unadjusted eyes. She threw her hands over her face to cut the glare and attempted to see through the cracks between her fingers. She was able to observe that she was standing in a large room styled in the same motif as the rest of the club. The singular difference, however, was a massive planter filled with nightshade flowers.  
Standing in the middle of the planter, a flower in hand, was an adolescent girl with pale skin and shoulder length brown hair. That is, a perfect mirror of Kyrie herself. Primary difference being the glowing yellow eyes that almost seemed to produce an ominous glow on their own.  
Kyrie drew back in fright, "Wh-what are you talking about?"  
The Shadow smirked, "Our dearly departed father, bless his soul. Can you truly say his sacrifice was worth it?"  
Kyrie's eyes widened, "Our fath-...what are you?"  
The Shadow ignored the question, "To think such a smart, kind man gave his life trying to protect a useless child like you. The world would be so much better if he had just let you get taken, wouldn't it?"  
Kyrie's eyes began to water, "I...I don't..."  
"And what of the others? Those classmates of yours who you've tricked into bringing you along? Did you honestly believe their cause would be all the stronger with your interference?"  
Kyrie felt her knees weaken, "I...I can help..."  
The Shadow's toothy, wolf-like grin widened, "They're dead, you know. They died trying to keep a parasite like you alive. If you were to escape this place, what would you do with the life you were given with that sacrifice? Read about your stupid dogs? Mother's right, you're a cancer."  
Kyrie fell to her knees and wept, tears streaming forth from her eyes. She tried to formulate a response, but no words could escape the coughing sobs. She could only watch as the Shadow slowly strode toward her.  
"Let's end the pain right here, right now. Leave your existence behind so that no more can be worse off for it," the Shadow cooed, a cold smoothing tone to her voice, "Just take my hand, I'll make it quick."  
Kyrie stared at the approaching figure, its hand outstretched. She sniffed and her features softened.  
"Maybe...Maybe you're right..." she murmured.  
The distance between the two closed and the Shadow extended her hand further.  
Before they could unite, the sound of a harsh, familiar voice called out, "Take-Mikazuchi!"  
The Shadow drew back as the floorboards splintered upwards, dividing the two girls.  
"What is this?!" The Shadow screeched.  
Kyrie spun around and saw the Investigation Team running into the room, their Personas hovering above them.  
"Kyrie! Get away from her!" Narukami called out.  
Kyrie's eyes widened, "You're alive?!"  
"Like those goons could stop us!" Chie replied confidently.  
"Ky-chan!" Teddie shouted, running to Kyrie's side and embracing her.  
"I thought I lost you!" he wept nuzzling her shirt.  
"Teddie...everyone..." Kyrie wiped her nose and smiled, "You came for me..."  
"Of course! We'd never leave a member of our team behind!" Yukiko said.  
"Like it or not, kid, you know too much to be left out now," Michael added with a jovial smirk.  
Kyrie smiled widely and got to her feet, "Member of your team...our team..."  
"Don't be ridiculous! You're a nuisance!" The Shadow sneered, "I know you know this, because I am you. I am the Shadow, the true inner self!"  
"...Is this thing really part of me?" Kyrie asked, turning to Narukami.  
Narukami nodded, "This thing is a reflection of yourself, but you must face it."  
"Yeah kid, tell that witch to shove it and let us handle the rest," Kanji said.  
Kyrie scanned the faces of the team, all looking at her with looks of assured acceptance. She nodded and turned to face her Shadow.  
"Maybe once upon a time, you were me. But now? You're not. You're the parasite! You're not me!" she cried.  
The Shadow let out a monstrous shriek as the dirt beneath her swallowed her up and pulled her underground. Shortly after, a deep rumbling filled the room and peaked at a throaty, savage howl. From the planter rose a massive headstone wrapped in a rusty chain. In front of it, two paws burst from the dirt and hoisted up a massive wolf. The wolf was horrendously decayed with patches of fur and skin missing, exposing maggot-riddled muscle and bone. The beast's eye sockets were hollow and around its neck was the end of the chain that was wrapped around the tombstone.  
"I will be the death of you, one way or another!" The Shadow's voice shrieked.  
"Here it comes!" Narukami cautioned.  
"Teddie! Weak spots!" Michael commanded.  
Teddie shook his head vigorously, "I can't smell any!"  
"Dammit," Yosuke growled, "Jiraiya!"  
His Persona whipped up a spiral of wind and sent it flying at the Shadow. The Shadow opened its mouth and sucked in the gust before blowing it right back at the team with twice the force, throwing the team and their Personas against the wall behind them with several loud thuds.  
"The Hell was that?" Kanji grunted, getting to his feet.  
"Wind won't work, try something else!" Teddie exclaimed.  
Chie kicked her foot out, "Kick it into next week, Tomoe!"  
Chie's Persona jumped into the air and swung her foot down hard, aiming at the wolf Shadow's head. Just before impact, the wolf caught Tomoe by the leg and shook her viciously before tossing her into the air. Chie's leg crumpled in sync with Tomoe's injury.  
"Nng!" Chie winced, holding her knee.  
"Chie! Leave her alone, you beast!" Yukiko shouted, waving her sensu fan in unison with her Persona, a blast of fire blazed forth toward the beast.  
Just as it had done with Jiraiya's gust of wind, the Shadow opened its mouth and sucked in the fire before exhaling back at the team.  
"Oh shit, incoming!" Kanji shouted.  
Narukami held his hand out to Izanagi, "Pyro Jack!"  
Izanagi morphed in a flash of blue light into the robed pumpkin from before, holding its lantern before it. As it had with Yukiko's Shadow, Pyro Jack absorbed the fire before it could find its mark.  
"Senpai, let's give it a shock to its system!" Kanji said, coming to Narukami's side.  
Narukami nodded and held his hand out to Pyro Jack, "Izanagi!"  
Pyro Jack transformed back into Izanagi who began emanating sparks throughout his body. Kanji's Persona flew next to him and drew its metal lightning bolt.  
"Now!" The boys shouted in unison.  
Izanagi unleashed a bolt of electricity as Take-Mikazuchi jammed its blade in the ground and the same energy shot from its tip.  
A chain attached to the tombstone shot up and intercepted the electricity like a lightning rod, delivering the current harmlessly into the ground.  
"Bullshit!" Kanji snarled, punching the air in frustration, "Nothin' works on the damn thing!"  
"Battery, battery!" Michael barked.  
Sherman fired a volley of shells from its turret at the hulking revenant, only to have them swatted down by the Shadow's massive paw.  
"How can it move so fast?!" Michael growled under his breath.  
The Shadow let out a howl and lifted up its paws into the air.  
"It's gonna strike! Get back!" Teddie cried.  
The team dove out of the way a second too late as the wolf's paws were brought down hard on the ground, catching them in the shockwave and scattering them across the room.  
"Ugh...dammit," Michael growled, "Yukiko?"  
"I'm..I'm fine..." Yukiko said next to him, "But where's Kyrie-chan?'  
The group looked around and, to their horror, saw Kyrie approaching the Shadow.  
"Kyrie, stay back from it!" Narukami shouted.  
Kyrie ignored him and continued striding purposefully toward the hulking monster. The Shadow noticed the child's advance and turned its head to face her.  
"My my, what do we have here?" the little girl voice came from the fetid maw of the abomination.  
Kyrie did not back down.  
"We gotta get to her before the Shadow attacks!" Chie said.  
Michael spun around to face Narukami, "Narukami, I think I've got a plan."  
"We're all ears, dude," Yosuke replied with urgency.  
"You know how the Shadow sucked in Jiraiya's wind attack?"  
"Yeah?"  
"What if we send something else down its gullet at the same time?"  
The group exchanged looks on confusion, all except Narukami who nodded with a knowing smirk.  
"I see what you're saying..." he said.  
He turned to Yosuke, "I'm gonna need Jiraiya to attack it again," he said.  
Yosuke raised an eyebrow, "Uh, did you not notice it turned that right back around on us last time?"  
"The leader has given his instructions, do your part and leave the rest to us," Michael snapped as Sherman landed behind him.  
"Ugh, fine. Get em, Jiraiya!" Yosuke shouted.  
"If this doesn't work, the rest of you get ready to snatch Kyrie and retreat," Narukami said to the others.  
"Leave it to us," Chie said with a confident nod.  
Jiraiya conjured up a whirlwind and sent it flying toward the Shadow's head who was still looking at Kyrie.  
"After I finish off your friends, I'm going to enjoy devouring you," the Shadow growled.  
It turned its head and opened its maw to inhale the incoming blast.  
"Now Sherman!" Michael barked.  
On command, Sherman fired a furious barrage of explosive shells from his turret straight down the Shadow's throat.  
"Wha- No!" The Shadow roared. It quickly closed its mouth, but the damage was done. With a blood-curdling shriek, smoke and fire erupted from every opening in the corpse, bone splintering and chunks of flesh flying off the animated carcass. With a whimper, the wolf collapsed to its side, panting heavily.  
"...Did we do it?" Chie asked insecurely.  
"Can't be too careful, let's put this rabid dog down for good," Michael stated, his Persona drawing its sabre.  
"No, don't!" Kyrie shouted.  
The team watched as she stroked the nose of the collapsed Shadow.  
"It's okay...I know you were right," she said soothingly, "I know you've been in pain, you've been so chained down to the past and the blame...I never acknowledged that. I just accepted it as a fact of my life."  
The wolf whimpered some more.  
"But no more. No more wallowing. My life was saved for a reason and now I know that reason."  
Kyrie turned to face the team and gave the brightest, happiest smile they had ever seen on her face.  
The wolf licked her hand and became bathed in a blue light. In its place, a wolf with blue fur on its back, and white fur on its underbelly appeared. The wolf was muscular and sported a singular feature of a third eye on its forehead. As soon as it had appeared, it vanished and in its place a tarot card bearing the Hermit arcana spun down into Kyrie's hands.  
"Is this...?"  
"Yep, it's your Persona," Narukami confirmed, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
"My...Persona...Pascal," Kyrie murmured to herself with a comforted smile before falling into Narukami's arms.  
"Kyrie-chan!" The girls cried out.  
"She must be bear-y tired," Teddie observed.  
"Let's get out of here. We'll give it another try tomorrow," Michael stated.  
"The forecast shows we should be free from the fog for awhile, we have time to let Kyrie-chan recover," Yukiko added.  
Narukami properly lifted Kyrie into his arms and the group made their way out of the debris-covered room.  
"Senpai...everyone...?" Kyrie murmured.  
"Yes, Kyrie?" Chie replied, taking her hand in her own.  
"...Thank you."


	38. June 25th (Part 1)

June 25th

Despite the team's most pressing urgings, Kyrie would not back down from going into the TV again the very next day.  
"Really, you should rest. Take it from me, facing your Shadow can wear you out for days," Yukiko explained to her as a few Junes patrons walked by their table.  
"I'll be fine. Chie-senpai said she was good to go the very next day, so I can be too!" Kyrie rebutted.  
"W-Well yeah, but my best friend's life was on the line," Chie stammered.  
"Plus, we didn't have nearly the manpower we have now. We needed every warm body possible to get through that castle, " Yosuke added.  
Yukiko winced at the mention of the castle, but said nothing.  
Kyrie straightened her posture and looked Narukami in the eye, "It's because of my weakness that we were distracted from saving Rise yesterday. I will not be coddled like a victim, I am a part of your team and I will not be denied the privilege of doing my fair share."  
The team looked at her with wide eyes before exchanging glances.  
"Sheesh, sometimes it's hard to remember she's only twelve..." Chie said in awe.  
"Kid's got a lot of heart. I think we can trust her to kick ass when the time comes," Kanji added.  
"Seeing her strength, I can't help but feel empowered myself," Yukiko said with a smile.  
"I have a feeling she's gonna go in there with or without us, so we may as well bring her," Yosuke said, concern still showing on his face.  
Narukami absorbed all the comments and stared at the table in thought for a moment before turning his head to face Michael, "What's your take on all this?"  
Michael took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair, "Under normal circumstances, I would advise we allow Kyrie a few days respite. However, considering the fact that this Shadow of Rise's plans on..."-Michael winced-"...exposing herself to the viewers of the Midnight Channel upon its next episode, I must urge haste."  
Chie smacked the table surface hard, "Oh crap! You're right! What are we sitting around for?!"  
Narukami scanned the determined faces sitting around the table and nodded before facing Kyrie, "Okay, you can come along. However, if you start feeling too worn out or sick, you have to tell us immediately. We don't want to rescue Rise by losing you."  
Kyrie nodded, "I promise."  
Yosuke sat up and threw a fist in the air with enthusiasm, "Alright! Let's get to it!"

When they entered the club in the TV world again they could immediately tell something was different. The magenta-covered labyrinth of hallways that the entryway had first led to was now replaced by a large room. The room's walls were lined with restaurant-style booths each with a small red light on the table and a pole protruding out of its center. The neon outlines of the female figures that lit up the wall were shown in increasingly lewder positions. The centerpiece of the room was a large ornate stage.  
"Whoa, there are some exciting possibilities here," Yosuke thought out loud.  
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Shadow Rise's voice rang out.  
The team stopped in their tracks and scanned the room.  
"Welcome, welcome! Let me guide you through this sparkling world of wonder!" The voice came again.  
Suddenly, several spotlights flicked on all at once and focused on the center of the stage. The sound of an elevator mechanism rumbled through the air. Rising up from the stage, came several different 'clones' of Risette all dressed in different costumes and attire.  
"Whoa, that's a lot of Risettes," Chie observed.  
"Yeah! And I know all of them!" Yosuke interjected, his face reddening, "The first one on the right is from-"  
"Now is not the time for trivia! Keep your head in the game," Michael snapped.  
The elevator came up once more and its rider's body was obfuscated perfectly by the lighting, showing only her silhouette.  
"This show is called, 'Risette's Dynamite Body'!" The figure announced.  
The light shone directly upon her and revealed her as the true Shadow Rise, clad in the bikini she had shown frequently sporting on the Midnight Channel. She had her back turned to the team before dramatically spinning around, that mischievous saltwater crocodile smile on her pink, glossy lips.  
"Are you all ready?" she asked with a wink.  
The team stared at her, dumbfounded as to how to proceed. That is, all except for Yosuke who began waving his arms in the air.  
"I aaammm! Pick me, Risette!" he shouted.  
"Oh shut up!" Chie snarled, elbowing him so hard in the ribs it sent him tumbling to the floor.  
Shadow Rise stretched her arms out to them, "I'm here to bare it all to you! What, you think that's a fibby-wibby? Well, you'll just have to find out for yourself," she said airily.  
"Hey, what's your game plan here?" Michael whispered to Narukami.  
"We need to find the real Rise before we do anything else," he replied, his deadpan gaze not straying from the spectacle before them.  
"Is this...really how Risette feels inside?" Kyrie asked, a shake in her voice.  
"If this is anything like what happened to me, these Shadow pricks take your suppressed feelings and totally twist 'em all around until they don't make no sense. The kid may be working through some shit, but don't take this crap literally," Kanji explained.  
Shadow Rise giggled, "Liar liar pants on fire! You ARE about to meet the real me."  
Shadow Rise turned to the pole on the stage and spun around on it as club music began to echo its beats in the background.  
Kanji facepalmed, "Ugh, I hope mine wasn't this bad. God damn, this is brutal."  
"These are Rise's suppressed feelings, of course they're brutal!" Teddie pointed out.  
Narukami growled in his throat and shook his head. Michael looked similarly distressed and spit on the floor.  
"There's no way this is how she sees herself. She couldn't stand the constant attention, something about this isn't right," he grumbled.  
Shadow Rise stopped dancing and glared at them, "What? No cheering? Talk about a dead crowd," she said with a pout.  
"Maybe it's time I bring out our special guest," Shadow Rise announced.  
"Huh...special guest?" Yosuke wondered out loud.  
Shadow Rise giggled, "Our special guest today is, da da da daaaaa! Rise Kujikawa!"  
The elevator rose once again and riding it was none other than the real Rise. The spotlight focused on her. She was on her hands and knees and still wearing her tofu shop uniform.  
"Stop it! Stop it!" Rise shouted at her Shadow.  
"Rise!" The team shouted as the rushed the stage.  
Materializing from the ceiling, several Shadows dropped in front of them with a loud crash, the shockwave throwing the team back.  
"Waaahhh! Grizzlies!" Teddie cried, throwing himself behind cover.  
The Shadows were akin to humanoid bulldogs, each wearing a detective's uniform with a donut hanging out of their mouths. In unison, they raised their revolvers and took aim at the team.  
"Get to cover!" Michael shouted and they did so just as the hail of bullets struck where they had just been standing.  
"Goddammit, I can't see shit!" Kanji grumbled.  
Michael turned to face him, "What? Don't you have your glasses?"  
Kanji shook his head, "They got knocked off when we dove behind these seats."  
Michael swore and turned to Kyrie, "Help me find this guy's glasses, he's useless without them."  
Kyrie nodded and the trio began crawling around the area they had sheltered in.  
"You ready, partner?" Yosuke said to Narukami.  
"Let's make this quick," he replied.  
Izanagi and Jiraiya materialized in a flash of blue light and fired a combined assault of wind and lightning magic at their adversaries. The assault simply deflected off of their skin, leaving the Shadows unscathed.  
"Our turn!" Chie shouted as Tomoe and Konohana Sakuya launched their ice and fire magic at the enemies' firing line. Just as it had before, the magic deflected off of them.  
"It repelled our attacks!" Yukiko lamented.  
"Time to step it up!" Chie commanded.  
Their Personas abandoned the use of their magic and instead went for a physical assault. Indeed, this proved far more effective as the Shadows' line crumbled. Unfortunately, as they had before, more Shadows appeared to take their place.  
"Oh man, they keep comin'!" Chie wailed.  
Back on the stage, Rise covered her ears and closed her eyes, "No way, this isn't real!" she shouted.  
"Oh, but it is. You wanted everyone to notice you, right?" Shadow Rise taunted, straddling the pole.  
"Lookee, lookee, look at me!"  
Rise shook her head, "No, that isn't me! That isn't me at all!"  
Shadow Rise scowled, "Oh, it isn't huh? Then what is the 'real you'?"  
The Risette clones encircled Rise and stared down at her, laughing bitterly.  
"The real me...is just..." Rise stammered.  
"Kanji!" Michael shouted, "Catch!"  
Kanji reached up at the unidentified object flying towards him and caught it. He opened his palm and saw that they were his pair of Teddie glasses.  
"Ready, killer?" Michael said with a savage grin.  
Kanji returned his look, "Oh yeah, I'm gonna rock these."  
"Persona!" They shouted in unison, the hulking figures of Take-Mikazuchi and General Sherman bursting into existence.  
The Shadow line advanced on the rest of the team and aimed their revolvers down on them.  
"Dammit," Yosuke whimpered.  
Suddenly, the Shadows exploded into the void, a massive fist and a gleaming sabre taking their places.  
"Sorry for the wait," Kanji said smugly.  
"Technical difficulties," Michael added.  
More Shadows descended from the ceiling to replace their fallen comrades. This only seemed to fuel Kanji's berserker-like rage.  
"Oh yeah! Come on come on come on!" he snarled, his Persona cutting through them like ripe autumn wheat.  
Michael, feeding off Kanji's energy, grew savage as well, "More notches in the belt!"  
Bounding between them, the blue lupine form of Kyrie's Persona, Pascal, dove into a line of Shadows and fell upon them. Its gnashing jaws ripped apart the apparitions, its tail proving just as deadly as it swung from side to side, dispatching any Shadow within its flight path.  
The display surprised even Michael and Kanji who turned to face the smirking girl.  
"Good doggie," she quipped.  
"Whoa, those three are kickin' ass," Yosuke said in awe.  
"Talk about bulldozers!" Chie added.  
Shadow Rise stood over the cowering Rise, "Well? You still haven't said just who is the real Rise?"  
The clones all began a chilling chorus in their robotic voices:  
"I'm the real Rise."  
"No, I'm Rise."  
"No, I'm the real Rise."  
Rise shook her head and covered her ears tighter, trying to drown out the voices.  
"I don't know! I don't know the real me!" she cried.  
The Shadow Rise smirked, "I'll tell you. I am the real Rise. You see, I am you and you are me."  
"No! You're wrong! You're not me!"  
The Shadow's smirk grew wider, the crocodile smile becoming less seductive and more malicious, "I'm so sick and tired of putting on a fake smile and playing the flirt."  
Shadow Rise reached both hands behind her neck and began undoing the ties of her top, "Watch closely now and you'll see the real me."  
She held each end of the ties above her head, the only action keeping the top in place.  
"No...it's not true, you can't be..." Rise whimpered, hugging herself.  
"Stop! Don't say it!" Chie shouted in alarm.  
"There is no way...you are not the real me!" Rise shouted.  
Suddenly, a black energy began to surround the cackling Shadow Rise, "Oh my, here it comes!" she squealed as she became completely cocooned in the ebon aura.  
The darkness then dissipated and in its place, revealed Shadow Rise's monstrous form. A large, female humanoid with Rise's twin copper ponytails hung upside down on the pole. In place of her face was a honeycombed plate reminiscent of a satellite dish. Most singular, her skin pigmentation was composed of ever shifting waves of color that was reminiscent of a vibrant tie-dye.  
"I am the Shadow of your true inner self," the Shadow said.  
"Dammit..." Narukami breathed.  
Rise looked up in horror at the gyrating being before her, "What...what is this?"  
"Rise!" Narukami shouted as the group approached the stage once more.  
"We got you, kid!" Michael added.  
Rise's eyes began to close with fatigue, "Narukami...Sheriff...you came..."  
She could manage no more. With her Shadow at full strength, she collapsed in exhaustion.  
"Rise! Dammit! Chie, Yukiko, extract her!" Narukami commanded.  
"You got it!" Yukiko replied.  
"On our way!" Chie said in turn.  
Tomoe and Konohana Sakuya flew to Rise's aid while the others' Personas charged the Shadow itself in distraction.  
The Shadow giggled and, motioning as though she were blowing a kiss, sent out a strange green pulse from her pole.  
"The Hell was that?" Michael growled suspiciously.  
"I seeeeee youuuu," Shadow Rise cooed.  
Tomoe and Konohana Sakuya had collected the unconscious Rise and flown her to the rear of the room where Teddie stood waiting.  
"Teddie, keep her safe!" Chie commanded.  
"Okie dokie!" Teddie replied enthusiastically as Chie and Yukiko returned to the battle.  
With a point of his finger, Izanagi sent a bolt of lightning at the Shadow who, with a giggle, dodged it gracefully.  
"Whoa, that was almost too perfect," Yosuke observed.  
"You're sooo transparent," the Shadow giggled as she effortlessly dodged the ice and fire thrown at her by Chie and Yukiko's Personas.  
"Let's see her dodge an artillery barrage!" Michael barked as Sherman fired a volley of shells from his turret.  
As if dancing a ballet, the Shadow gracefully dodged each and every shell as well as the explosion it left behind.  
"Pascal!" Kyrie shouted as the massive blue wolf bounded up the stage and made a beeline straight for the Shadow.  
"Bad dog! Bad!" the Shadow mocked.  
Just as Pascal reached the Shadow, it spun around out of Pascal's path. Unable to stop in time, Pascal slid off the stage and slammed hard into the wall. Kyrie held her head as the pain was synchronized.  
"No way! It dodged all of that?!" Chie cried.  
Yosuke had a look of revelation on his face, "Wait...that green light..."  
Narukami nodded, "I noticed that too. It's scanning our Personas, forecasting our attacks."  
Shadow Rise giggled, "Oh my, it looks like my analysis is totally complete!"  
The Shadow spun around and righted herself, landing gracefully on her feet beside the pole.  
"That means it's time for a counter-attack."  
She pulled the pole out of the stage floor and pointed it at the assembled Personas, "Fire!"  
From the tip of the pole came various streams of energy of different colors and patterns, each one aiming specifically for each individual Persona.  
"Brace yourselves!" Narukami shouted.  
The Personas flew to dodge or take cover, but the streams of energy merely changed directions and out sped them, finding their marks.  
The pain was excruciating. It was as though each attack was tailored to do the most damage and pain possible. The Investigation Team's screams filled the air.  
Teddie looked on in horror as the team's shaky forms began to crumple, "Guys!" he wailed.  
"Careful...Narukami...everyone..." Rise managed weakly.  
The Investigation Team slowly recovered, though their stance was shaky. Their adversary wasted no time in taking advantage of this.  
"Here comes another one!" Shadow Rise squealed, firing another blast.  
Too weak to dodge or resist, the Personas took another direct hit. Accompanying them, the screams of the team's agony as they fell backward.  
"Shit...this ain't good..." Kanji growled.  
Teddie was frozen in place, his bottom lip was quivering.  
"I- I gotta do something! I have to help, but I don't know what to do!" he cried, hitting himself in the head, "I'm so useless! I'm no good to anybody at all!"  
The Shadow readied its cannon once more, "Here's another!"  
Another blast shot forth and struck the Personas while they were down. The screams were even more hoarse now, the team's throats raw from the cacophony of release.  
"How lame!" the Shadow mocked.  
Yosuke rolled his head over and saw the crumpled form of Kyrie beside him.  
"K-Kyrie-chan," he managed.  
She did not reply.  
With a shaky hand, he reached over and shook her shoulder.  
Still, she did not stir.  
Yosuke's eyes widened in panic, "G-Guys, Kyrie isn't moving!"  
"What?!" Narukami gasped.  
"We shouldn't have let the kid come in here so soon, God dammit," Kanji growled, holding his side.  
Michael's heart began to race and his stomach turned violently. He felt sweat break out all over. His fight-or-flight instinct began to short circuit.  
 _I don't want to be here, I don't want to be here,_ his mind panicked without his consent.  
Shadow Rise giggled, "One down! But now I think it's time to finish you ALL off, once and for all!"  
Four more poles descended from the ceiling and joined together with the Shadow's existing cannon.  
"We are so screwed," Yosuke cried.  
Yukiko pushed herself up on her elbows, shaking, "D-Does this mean we're all gonna die?" she whimpered.  
Michael's eyes widened. The room moved in a blur and time seemed to slow to a crawl. He turned his head slowly to the left to look at the unresponsive form of Kyrie. He turned his head to the right to look at the broken form of Yukiko.  
 _Does this mean we're all gonna die?_ Yukiko's words buzzed in his head.  
 _Does this mean we're all gonna die?  
Does this mean we're all gonna die?  
_The sentence echoed over and over again in his consciousness, each iteration adding a new pang of agony into his stomach.  
"Yukiko..." he murmured, "I'm so sorry."  
Narukami turned back to look at Teddie, "Teddie, take Rise and get out of here, now!"  
Teddie drew back in shock, "B-But Sensei, I can't just a-bear-don everybody! I don't wanna wind up all alone again!"  
Rise slowly rose to her feet, tears in her eyes.  
Shadow Rise held her cannon at her waist and aimed it directly at the fallen team, "Now say good-bye. Forever!"  
Energy gathered at the muzzle of the cannon and the team braced themselves for the blast.  
"Stop it!" a familiar voice rang out.  
The team looked over and saw the recovered Rise, staring down her Shadow form, "Just leave them alone!"  
The Shadow growled and aimed its cannon at her instead, "You annoying bitch! You wanna go first?!"  
Suddenly, a high-pitched growl filled the room and a light erupted from behind Rise. From behind her, came Teddie, basked in the glow. He stood protectively in front of her, his face had a look of masterful determination.  
"What's this?!" the Shadow shouted, drawing back.  
"Teddie! Get back!" Narukami commanded.  
"What the Hell are you doing, you crazy bear?!" Kanji barked.  
Teddie's look of determination vanished and now even he seemed surprised by his own actions, "Wh-what?! What am I doing?! Why am I taking the lead on this?!"  
The Shadow Rise sent out another green pulse and seemed to falter, "These energy readings coming off this thing are off the charts!"  
Teddie took off in a sprint toward the Shadow, his aura of energy growing brighter.  
"I don't know what I'm doing! My body is moving on its own! I feel as if I'm going bear-serk!" he roared.  
Shadow Rise charged her cannon and took aim at the approaching Teddie, "Stay back!"  
Just as she fired, the furry form of Pascal latched onto the cannon with his powerful jaws and shook it, knocking the blast off the intended trajectory and into the wall.  
"What is this?! Another fleabag?!" Shadow Rise screeched, trying to shake Pascal off.  
"What the...Pascal? Kyrie?!" Narukami shouted in surprise.  
The team turned and saw Kyrie standing perfectly stable, her eyes focused on the fight.  
"But...how? You were barely clingin' to life just a few moments ago!" Kanji asked in an incredulous tone.  
Kyrie smirked, "I slipped one of my healing leaves into my cheek just before the blast. I figured the delayed release would revive me."  
"Kyrie-chan is amazing," Chie said in awe.  
"Duck!" Yosuke shouted as another stray blast from the contested cannon tore through the room.  
Pascal fought hard to pull the cannon from Shadow Rise's hands and seemed as though he were winning, until she swung the cannon into a wall, Pascal along with it. With a pained whine, Pascal slid to the floor.  
"Time to put this doggie to sleep!" Shadow Rise shrieked, charging her cannon once more.  
However, the struggle had made her lose track of Teddie.  
"Hyaahhhh!" Teddie shouted and lodged himself in the muzzle of the cannon just as Shadow Rise fired.  
"W-what?! The system is...is...overloading!" she shrieked.  
The cannon exploded into a prismatic display of light, blinding the onlookers. When their vision returned, the monstrous form of Shadow Rise was no more. In her place was the bikini-clad form of before, lying unconscious on the stage. Beside her, lay the flattened form of Teddie, burn marks covering him from head to toe.  
The group surrounded him, looks of worry on their faces.  
"You stupid-ass bear, what you did was nuts," Kanji growled.  
"Y-yeah but, was Teddie a helpful bear?" Teddie managed to say.  
"Dude, you were more than just helpful," Yosuke admitted.  
"You saved everyone here," Narukami said confidently.  
"You were awesome," Chie praised.  
"More than that," Yukiko confirmed.  
Teddie turned his head slightly to look at them, "D-Does that mean I can score with you some day?"  
Chie smiled, "You can give it a shot whenever you want!"  
Yukiko's eyes narrowed, "Ugh...you bring that up even now?"  
Kyrie knelt down beside him and put one of the leaves into his mouth, "You may be a hero, but even heroes need their medicine. Here, chew on this leaf, you'll feel better in no time."  
Teddie gnawed on the medicine as Kyrie passed out handfuls of them into everyones' hands, "That goes for all of us. We need our strength back."  
"Teddie..." Rise said softly, kneeling down beside him, "You saved me."  
Teddie smiled at her, "I know how you feel, not knowing who you really are. It's hard, but you don't have to worry about it alone. You and me, we can figure it all out together."  
Rise tilted her head, "...you and me?"  
"We have Sensei and the others to help us too."  
Rise turned to face the group, all of whom were looking down on them with kind smiles on their faces, aside from Michael who stood guard over the prostrate form of Shadow Rise, his billy club drawn.  
"I'm so sorry for putting you all through this," she said.  
"Hey, don't worry about all that. Just take it easy, okay?" Narukami said in his soothing voice.  
Rise smiled, "It's been a long time since someone said that to me."  
She got to her feet and carefully walked over to where her Shadow lie.  
"King-san, was it?" Rise said to Michael, who stood glaring down at the crumpled form of the Shadow.  
 _Does this mean we're all gonna die?_ Yukiko's words echoed again in his head.  
"King-san, please, it's fine," Rise said, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
He jumped and stood defensively before realizing there was no danger.  
"Mhm," he grunted, relaxing a little and stepping back, still eyeing the Shadow with disdain.  
Rise knelt down beside her other self her who turned her head to meet her gaze.  
"I'm so sorry," Rise began, "I tried so hard trying to figure out who the real me is. I realized that no amount of searching was going to help, because there is no 'real me' to find."  
Teddie blinked, his expression began to fall upon overhearing this, "Does that mean...there's no real me either?" he wondered to himself.  
Rise continued, "But now I know. Risette, you, all of my roles, they're all a part of me."  
The Shadow smiled and became bathed in the familiar blue light. She vanished in her place, stood a tall, dignified woman in a long pink dress. In place of a face, she had a honeycombed satellite dish and in her hands she held what looked to be a thick crown.  
Rise looked up in awe as, with a flash, the figure was replaced with a card bearing the Lovers arcana which descended into her hands.  
"What...is this?" Rise asked.  
"It's your Persona," Narukami said, stepping up next to her.  
"My Pers..." Rise's eyelids fluttered and she collapsed into Narukami's arms  
"R-Rise?!" he said in a panic.  
"Oh come on, dude. That's no fair!" Yosuke groaned.  
"She just completely passed out," Narukami replied.  
Kyrie ran over to them, the leaves and a first aid kit in hand.  
"Rise-chan..." she said sadly.  
"Who can blame her?" Chie remarked.  
"Even with Kyrie's medicine, I think we're all pretty exhausted," Yukiko said, motioning to the worn forms of their Personas floating behind them.  
"I'm pretty beat, too. What about you, Michael? You've been quieter than usual." Yosuke said, turning to face Michael.  
Michael, however, was not paying attention. His eyes were wide and he was fixated on something across the room. His Persona, General Sherman, standing at the ready with its sword drawn.  
"Michael-kun...?" Yukiko peeped.  
They heard it before they saw it. A deep, rumbling, maleficent voice bellowed through the room  
"There is. No. Real. Me."

 _To be continued..._

 **A/N: Hey everyone, just a heads up that my schedule has become thoroughly cluttered as of late and my real life responsibilities may potentially interfere with my updating schedule. Just so you know, if I miss an update or it's late, don't think that I am abandoning or losing interest in writing this story. I assure you it will go on and I think about it every day. I hope you all stay tuned! :)**


	39. June 25th (Part 2)

"No true self," the voice rumbled again.  
The team turned and saw a dark cloud materialize behind the worn form of Teddie.  
"Behind you!" Kyrie shouted.  
Teddie spun around just as two large yellow eyes became discernible through the murk.  
"What the heck is that?!" he cried in fear.  
The fog cleared ever so slightly to reveal a large doppelganger of Teddie staring down on the team with malice in its soulless eyes.  
"Aw balls," Kanji said eloquently.  
"No way, could that be Teddie's other self?" Chie asked.  
Michael's Persona, Sherman, readied its sword.  
"Looks like we're in for a double header this time around," Michael growled.  
A condescending smile appeared on the Shadow's face as the gray fog thickened, "Such idiotic foolishness!" it roared as the fog enveloped the area, "the truth will always be shrouded by fog!"  
A massive paw swept a swathe of the fog away, revealing the massive and true form of Teddie's Shadow. It sunk itself into a pit in the floor, crushing the floorboards and furniture of the once vibrant and immaculate showroom.  
"That thing is huge," Kyrie whimpered.  
"Holy shit..." Kanji exhaled.  
The Shadow's body was cracked as though it were made of glass and a large chunk of its face was missing, revealing a pitch black abyss within the Shadow's body.  
"Try though you may to find meaning, you will never know for sure if it is the truth or a lie," the Shadow's voice rumbled again.  
A strong gust of suction began to increase in intensity and pulled furniture and bits of debris into the crater around the Shadow's sunken body. Within seconds, the team and their Personas began to feel the pull as well.  
"Hang on to something!" Yosuke shouted.  
The team latched onto the iron scaffolding of the stage that was still intact.  
"He's gonna pull us in!" Chie wailed, her knuckles white as her grip on the scaffolding tightened.  
"Knowing that," the Shadow continued, " why even bother seeking the truth at all?"  
Teddie's weakened self was unable to maintain his grasp on his moorings and, with a scream, went tumbling through the air toward his Shadow.  
"Teddie!" Kyrie cried as her Persona, Pascal, dove to catch him in his jaws.  
He missed his mark by a few inches and narrowly avoided being sucked in himself as Teddie disappeared into the darkness of the Shadow's innards.  
"You say you seek the truth? How can you possibly find something if you don't even know what you're looking for? The truth you seek so desperately can only bring you suffering!" the Shadow taunted them.  
"Why do you say that?!" Narukami shouted back, tightening his grip on Rise.  
The Shadow's malevolent chuckle echoed forth, "Let me impart a bit of truth upon you: you are all going to die here."  
Michael's eyes widened and his head pounded at these words.  
 _Does this mean we're all going to die?_ Yukiko's voice rang through his head again.  
Debris came tumbling from behind them on their flight path to the Shadow's epicenter, a bit of metal narrowly missing Narukami and Rise thanks to the former's quick reflexes.  
"Guys! Rise's got an idea!" Narukami called out, "Izanagi!"  
Narukami's Persona landed next to them and stuck its sword in the ground as an anchor. Rise clasped her hands together as though she were uttering a prayer before she was bathed in a blue light.  
"Persona!" she shouted.  
Behind her, the dress-clad Persona christened Himiko appeared. It lowered the crown it held in its hands over Rise's eyes.  
Izanagi threw his arm around Himiko's waist to hold her in place as a few rapid pulses of light were emitted from the satellite dish on her face.  
"What's she doing?!" Yosuke called out.  
"There's something inside that thing, I think it's a weak spot!" Rise called out.  
"Where?! Where, dammit?!" Michael snarled.  
"Hold on! The fog is too thick, I need time to pinpoint its position!" Rise replied.  
"Im...losing...my...grip!" Chie called out.  
Michael's head spun around as he saw Chie and Yukiko's fingers progressively sliding off the metal fixture.  
"Just a few more seconds, we have to hit him in the right spot!" Rise called out, panic in her voice.  
Narukami turned to face Michael, "Get Sherman ready! I'll need him to fire a precision shot once Rise has a target!"  
Michael's eyes darted between Yukiko, Teddie's Shadow, and Narukami. Sherman did not move to act on Narukami's direction.  
"Michael, listen to me!" Narukami shouted, greater urgency in his voice.  
"I...can't...hold...on..." Yukiko said through clenched teeth.  
"No! Just hold on to me!" Chie cried.  
 _Does this mean we're all going to die?_  
"Michael!" Narukami shouted again.  
"Sherman! Secure critical package!" Michael barked, pointing at Yukiko with his free hand.  
Knowing full well he was disregarding Narukami's orders, he ordered Sherman to launch himself forward just as Yukiko's grip slipped. Sherman caught her in his arms and landed on the other side of the room safely, but not in range to fire upon the Shadow accurately.  
Michael breathed a sigh of relief, his heart pounding in his throat.  
"I found the target!" Rise announced, "It's just above the left eye!"  
"How do we hit it?! Michael's the only one with a Persona who can fire a solid projectile from a distance!" Yosuke hollered back.  
"Leave it to me, Senpai!" Kanji announced as Take-Mikazuchi hoisted its metal lightning bolt and readied it for a throw.  
With a mighty pitch of its arm, his Persona launched the bolt which flew through the air and struck the Shadow right where Rise had described.  
"Just like threading a needle," Kanji bragged with a victorious smirk.  
The Shadow bellowed an exclamation of pain as its gravitational pull weakened and its shell began to crumble away into dust.  
"Whoa, I wasn't expecting it to just...collapse," Kanji said, wide-eyed.  
One of the pieces of the Shadow vaporized upon hitting the ground and revealed the crumpled form of Teddie, otherwise unscathed.  
"Teddie! Are you alright?!" Yosuke shouted as he, Kyrie, and Chie crouched down next to their friend.  
"I'll have you fixed up in no time! Where does it hurt? How many fingers am I holding up?" Kyrie chattered, fawning over him.  
Teddie slowly got to his feet, "I'm...I'm oka- wait, what happened to my bear-tiful fur?!" he cried, barely noticing that the fur of his suit had been completely decimated through his recent scrapes with combat.  
"Looks like he won't be keeling over anytime soon," Kanji observed.  
His relief was clear and was shared by the team.  
"It's hard to believe that Teddie had a part of himself that he kept hidden from everyone," Chie said, a sadness in her voice.  
After Teddie's shock at his unkempt fur had subsided, he turned to face the shimmering form of his Shadow in its original form. With a sigh, he addressed it.  
"It's really sad not knowing who you are," he began, "and this whole time, I was afraid that if I did look I wouldn't find any answers at all."  
His face turned from one of despair to determination as his monologue continued.  
"But even if I didn't find what I wanted, I'm still here and I'm still bear-y much alive!"  
"I totally get you," Rise said soothingly, taking a stand behind him, "Let's find out answers together."  
Teddie spun around and gave her a look of pure appreciation, "You understand me!"  
"We'll find you both your answers. Don't forget, Teddie, you're far from alone," Narukami added.  
"Sensei..." Teddie whimpered.  
"Yeah, we'll help you out, Teddie. You're part of the team now," Yosuke said with a smile and a shrug.  
Kyrie patted his head, "You're the bear-st bear a girl could hope for."  
Teddie's lip quivered and he began to rub his eyes, "Teddie is such a lucky little bear!" he sobbed as a blue light radiated from behind him.  
Where his Shadow once stood, emerged a large red ball seemingly made of metal. The being wore a cape and had two arms which carried a massive missile above its head.  
"A Persona? I have my own Persona now?" Teddie said in disbelief.  
"I feel tremendous power coming from it, isn't it great, Teddie?" Rise said sweetly.  
"It's so beary, beary good. Thank you, Rise," Teddie replied, a wide grin on his face.  
Michael cleared his throat, "I'd hate to break up the mutual admiration society, but perhaps we should haul ass before someone else's homicidal suppressed psyche decides to make an appearance?"  
Chie winced, "Good point."  
"Oh by the way, here's your slipper, Cinderella," Michael said wryly, pulling out the shoe that was tucked in his waistband and handing it to Rise.  
Rise giggled, "I was wondering where this went. Thank you, Sheriff."  
The group began walking toward the exit, but Michael was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face its owner and saw himself looking at Narukami's stern gaze. He returned the gaze with passive defiance.  
"Mind stepping away from the others with me for a moment?" Narukami asked.  
"If you're here to chew me out about earlier-" Michael began.  
Narukami shook his head, "No, I'm not. I understand that Yukiko means a lot to you and I wouldn't dream of expecting you to choose my wishes over her wellbeing."  
Michael nodded slowly and gave a half smile, "Thanks."  
They walked a little while longer together in silence before Narukami broke the silence.  
"So, when are you going to tell her?" he asked.  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Tell who what?"  
Narukami chuckled, "Mike, you're no good at feigning ignorance. You know full well what I mean. When are you going to tell Yukiko that you have feelings for her?"  
Michael's jaw clenched and his tongue moved around in his cheek.  
"I...I don't know. Maybe I won't," Michael replied carefully.  
"You're only going to be here for a year," Narukami pointed out.  
"Exactly. I'm not going to embark on an obligation that I have no means of fulfilling. That wouldn't be fair to me or her."  
Narukami studied him for a moment, "If you say so."  
Michael smirked, "Since when have you cared about this kind of stuff?"  
"I value your advice, I wanted to return the favor," Narukami replied nonchalantly.  
Michael gave him a slight nod, "Thanks," he grunted.

Michael sat in his room back at the Amagi Inn bandaging his wounds from the fight. After they exited the TV world, the girls escorted Rise back home with the cover story that she had spent the night at Chie's house. They originally planned to say she was at the Amagi Inn, but Michael pointed out that Rise's grandmother's friendship with the Amagis made it too risky for their lie to be discovered. He bandaged the last cut on his arm when there was a light, but urgent, tapping at his door. With a tired sigh, he pushed himself off the chair he was sitting in and stepped over to his door. As it slid open, he found himself looking down on the face of Yukiko.  
"Yuki, good evening, I-" he began.  
"I'm sorry, I- I hate to be so forward, but may I come in, please?" she whispered.  
Against his better judgment, he let her in and quickly shut the door behind her.  
"Here, have a seat," he said, pulling a chair out for her.  
"Th-thank you," she stated quickly.  
He took a seat across from her and cleared his throat, "I don't think I need to remind you how...inappropriate this looks."  
Yukiko sighed, "I know, I just...I wanted us to be alone. To talk about some things."  
Michael leaned forward, "Of course, go on."  
Yukiko took a deep breath, "Today...when Rise-chan's Shadow had us pinned down..."  
Michael winced.  
"...I saw a look of genuine fear on your face. I have never seen you that way before," she finished.  
Michael had found a pencil on the table and was tapping the eraser on its wooden surface, "I'm sorry to have worried you."  
Yukiko shook her head, "It's not just that. I think we were all scared, it was a near hopeless situation. However, I can't help but feel you're overexerting yourself and I flatter myself to think it's because of me."  
"No, it's not your fault," Michael said quickly.  
"I know you want to protect me, but you have to give me the chance to protect you, too," she said, placing a hand on his.  
Michael looked at it and then back up at her, "That isn't really in my nature."  
Yukiko smiled at him, "Admitting you can't do it all doesn't make you any less of a man." She bit her lip and lowered her voice, "You wouldn't be my prince if that weren't the case."  
Michael looked her in the eye for a moment, the faintest look of adoration on her face.  
 _God, she's beautiful,_ the thought came to his head involuntarily.  
Consciously, he returned her look with a gracious grin, but slowly pulled his hand away from her's.  
"So, has Kyrie said anything about her situation since that showdown with her Shadow?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.  
Yukiko looked disappointed by the sudden change of subject, "Oh...No, she hasn't. She was so focused on getting Rise-chan back that we really haven't had the time to discuss it."  
Michael looked up at the ceiling and scratched his neck, "I'd like to get the details of it as soon as possible. Ideally, we should aim to get this all squared away before Rise is debriefed. That way we only have one thing on our plate at a time."  
Yukiko nodded, "I agree. I'll get in touch with her tomorrow and see if we can all meet up."  
"Good, good," Michael said absently as though he were lost in thought.  
There were a few moments of silence that passed between them before Yukiko got to her feet.  
"W-Well, I guess that's that then. I'll see you tomorrow, Michael-kun," she said, making her way toward the door.  
"Yukiko, wait," Michael said softly.  
She turned to face him, but he could not look her in the eye.  
"Do you have any pressing engagements?"  
Yukiko tilted her head, "No, I was going to go back to my room. Why?"  
"Would you mind staying for just a little longer? Your presence provides...closure," he said, managing an embarrassed smile.  
Yukiko smiled with a touch of relief, "I would like that."


	40. June 26th

June 26th

Michael groaned as he lifted his head up. There was an intense stiffness in his neck and the sudden pain from it made him wince. His eyes fluttered open and cleared away the gunk that obfuscated his vision. He found himself staring into the book he had fallen asleep reading, the subject matter being Japanese family law.  
"Well, this is a first," he grumbled to himself, slowly straightening his back.  
As he did so, a light blanket slid off his shoulders to the floor.  
"...How did that get there?" he wondered aloud.  
He scanned the room slowly, his neck still tense, before his eyes landed on his bed. Lying upon the mattress, was Yukiko, still wearing the clothes she had on the day before.  
Michael's eyes widened, "By thunder..." he exhaled.  
He reached for his phone, pressed the Home button, and read the date at the top of the screen.  
 _Sunday, no school,_ he said with relief.  
He glanced back over the sleeping form of Yukiko. Her face was peaceful, several locks of ebon hair were strewn across her face. Her red headband was still on her head, leading Michael to believe she did not intend to fall asleep there. Despite the unusual circumstances, he did not feel inclined to wake her.  
 _I should slip down and grab us some breakfast. I can determine whether or not anyone's noticed her absence from her room as well,_ he thought.  
He took a quick moment to groom his hair and beard before carefully slipping out into the hallway, softly sliding the door closed behind him. He made his way down to the kitchen where the chefs were getting to work cooking breakfast.  
"Ah, good morning, Michael-kun!" one said jovially, raising his knife in greeting.  
Michael smiled, "Mornin'," he replied.  
"Should I cook up your usual lumberjack-style breakfast?"  
Michael shook his head, "Not this morning. I'm not feeling quite so hungry. Perhaps something lighter?"  
The chef looked confused, "You're asking for something...lighter? Are you feeling alright, Michael-kun?"  
Michael chuckled, "Quite alright, I assure you."  
The chef shrugged, "As you wish. What can I get you then?"  
Michael faked an expression of thought.  
"What does Yukiko-chan normally eat for breakfast? She's an expert on light foods," he finally said.  
The chef laughed, "Tell me about it. It's all we can do to get some meat on her bones. She usually takes porridge with fruit topping and tea. I warn you though, that won't fill up the stomach of a growing young man."  
"I'll take my chances," Michael replied.  
When the chef had finished his order, Michael grabbed a newspaper and carried the tray back up to his room. Balancing his cargo in one arm, he used the other to slide open the door. He stepped into the room and found Yukiko sitting upright in the bed, rubbing her eyes.  
"Howdy," Michael said softly as he closed the door behind him.  
Yukiko immediately flushed, "M-Michael-kun I'm so sorry, let me explain, please," she stammered.  
Michael snickered. The situation was a curious one and he did have a desire to get to the bottom of it. However, seeing her flustered by his actions always left him in a jovial temperament.  
"I expect a full, detailed explanation...after breakfast," he said, showing her the tray containing the steaming bowl of porridge and an equally tepid cup of tea.  
"...that's your breakfast?" Yukiko asked.  
"No, it's yours," Michael replied, folding down the legs of the tray and placing it over her, "It's a Sunday morning. Where I'm from, that means breakfast in bed."  
Yukiko looked at the meal before her, then back up at Michael, then back to the meal again.  
"O-Oh my, you're very sweet, Michael-kun. But where's yours?" she asked.  
Michael shrugged, "I'll grab mine later. It would be suspicious if I brought two separate meals to a room supposedly occupied by only one person."  
"Oh, of course. Good thinking."  
Michael unfolded the paper he had brought and sat at the table to read it while Yukiko ate her breakfast. When she was finished, she got up and joined him at the table.  
"Did you have enough?" Michael asked, still looking at his newspaper.  
Yukiko smiled, her cheeks still red, "Y-Yes, I did. Thank you so much."  
Michael nodded and folded his paper back up, dropping it down on the table with a thump.  
"So what exactly went down last night? The last thing I remember is reading this book with you sitting across from me," he said.  
Yukiko placed a finger on her chin in thought, "Well, you had set your head down. I figured you were just resting your eyes, but I realized that was not the case after I saw you drooling."  
Michael winced at this, but Yukiko continued without noticing.  
"So I took a light sheet off your bed and draped it over your shoulders before going to the door. Unfortunately, every time I would try to leave, I would hear a door shut or footsteps, so eventually I figured I would lay down for a bit on the bed until everyone settled down. Needless to say, I...lost track of time."  
Michael chuckled, "I don't blame you. If that bed felt any better, it would be illegal."  
Yukiko managed a giggle, "I'm stealing that phrase, too."  
Michael felt his heart flutter and a warmth stirring in his belly.  
Yukiko saw the way he was looking at her and shrank under this attention, "P-Please, Michael-kun, you're making me embarrassed. How are you so nonchalant about this?"  
"The situation is just so unusual. I can't help but find it somewhat amusing," he replied.  
"W-Well stop it, we could be in big trouble if someone catches me in here. They'll think we-" she bit her lip and flushed again.  
"You know, if you keep letting all the blood rush to your face like that, your feet will fall asleep," Michael teased.  
As he anticipated, that comment made the shade of red even darker.  
"If anyone asks, just tell them you couldn't sleep in your room so I let you use mine while I spent the night in the maintenance closet. "  
Yukiko thought for a moment, "I-I suppose that will have to suffice. I'm going to be honest with you, I don't really want to leave."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"  
"I feel so...at peace here, like I can just relax. Normally when I wake up in my own room, I see my school uniform, work kimono, homework, all that stuff and it reminds me of my responsibilities. Sometimes it's just...nice to pretend they don't exist if only for a night. Here, I wake up and I see something new and of course there's..." she trailed off.  
"There's...?" Michael asked.  
She looked away, "...you."  
Michael stiffened and cleared his throat, "Well, you're welcome to use this room whenever you'd like. There's just one minor detail you might want to be mindful of."  
"What's that?"  
"The...uh...the bed is meant for two people so it...gets a little cold."  
Yukiko's eyes widened, "O-Oh...is that so?"  
"Boy howdy."  
They looked into each other's eyes and, by instinct, Michael slowly reached out and cupped her face in his hand. She closed her eyes and turned her face into it, placing her hand over his.  
"Yukiko, listen...I-" Michael began.  
"Pi pi pi pi pi!" Yukiko's phone rang out, breaking their concentration. Michael drew his hand back and the pair looked away from one another as Yukiko fumbled to get her phone out.  
"H-Hello? Oh, hello, Chie...Yes...in an hour?...Okay, we'll be there," Yukiko said into the phone before clicking it off and stuffing it into her skirt pocket.  
"That was Chie. We're supposed to meet up with everyone at Samegawa in an hour. Kyrie wants to talk," Yukiko explained.  
Michael rose from his chair, "An hour, eh? Then I'd better get changed into some fresh clothes."  
"Okay, you do that!" Yukiko replied, remaining in her chair.  
Michael waited a moment, glancing between her and the door.  
"Uh...privately, maybe?" he said gently.  
Yukiko jumped up, "Oh! O-Of course, I have to go, too!"  
Michael chuckled, "I reckon so. See you shortly."

An hour later, the Investigation Team had assembled at one of the picnic tables in the campground along the Samegawa floodplain at Kyrie's request.  
"Th-thank you all for coming...I'm sorry if I'm wasting your time with this," Kyrie said insecurely.  
"It's not a waste. Just say what's on your mind. We care for you and we'll listen politely," Narukami said soothingly.  
Kyrie swallowed hard and nodded, "U-Um, I really don't know where to start."  
"How about with your Shadow?" Yukiko suggested.  
"Yeah, why was it calling you all those nasty names?" Yosuke asked.  
Kyrie sighed, "That's because of something that happened a long time ago. I think I told you all that my father passed away, correct?"  
The group nodded solemnly.  
Kyrie twisted a strand of hair around her finger nervously, "There's more to it than that. I never told you how he died."  
"You don't have to share something that personal if you're uncomfortable with it," Chie said.  
Kyrie shook her head, "N-No it's okay. I just...need a moment."  
She took a deep breath before continuing.  
"My father...my father was murdered."  
The group's eyes widened and they exchange glances of shock and dismay.  
"Murdered?!" Yosuke exclaimed.  
Kyrie nodded.  
"Kyrie-chan...I can't even imagine what that must feel like..." Yukiko said softly.  
Michael leaned in, "How did it happen?"  
"He had taken me to work that day. He was a zoologist and specialized in monitoring and studying the wolf populations of the world. I was so interested in it and kept begging him to take me to his office. Finally, he did so. It happened on our way home," Kyrie explained, her breathing seemingly increasing in speed.  
"We had stopped to get gasoline. He...he told me to stay in the car while he went to go pay," her lip began to quiver.  
Narukami placed a hand on her shoulder, "It's okay. Take all the time you need."  
She wiped a tear away from her cheek and continued.  
"I...I didn't listen. I saw a fox digging through the coin dispenser of a vending machine. I got out of the car and went over to examine it, but it ran off when it noticed me coming."  
"A fox...?" Michael wondered out loud.  
Kyrie nodded, "The same fox you and Narukami-senpai saw me with at the shrine."  
Michael slowly nodded, making note of the connection in his mind before letting her continue.  
"Before I could get back to the car, a man grabbed me. I started screaming and kicking, but he was too strong. He was dragging me to his car when my dad came running out of the gas station. The man was startled long enough for me to slip away, but my dad attacked him. I watched them...I watched them fight but..."  
Kyrie's eyes welled up immediately with tears and her bottom lip violently quivered, "...but the man had a knife and..."  
"Kyrie-chan, you don't have to go on. We can...infer what happened," Michael said softly.  
Kyrie choked back a few more sobs and wiped the tears away with her sleeve.  
"If I had just listened to him and stayed in the car, nothing would have happened..."  
"Nah, don't say that shit. The asshole with the knife killed him, not you," Kanji said.  
"Still..."  
"Does your mother say it's your fault?" Narukami asked abruptly.  
Everyone spun around to face his deadpan gaze.  
Kyrie looked taken aback, but nodded.  
"So that's why she..." Yukiko began, but shut up quickly.  
"...that's why she what?" Kanji asked.  
Kyrie said nothing, but rolled up her sleeves. The entire team gasped. Her entire upper arm was covered in bruises.  
"Who did this?!" Yosuke cried.  
Kanji slammed his fists down on the table, "Dammit! I'll murder 'em!"  
"Your mother did that, didn't she?" Narukami asked gently.  
Kyrie nodded.  
Kanji sprang to his feet, "What are we waiting for?! Let's haul ass over there and show the old hag who's boss!"  
"Kanji-kun, this is upsetting to all of us, but we should listen to how Kyrie wants to handle this. That is, if she wants it handled at all," Michael said calmly.  
The team looked at Kyrie who stared into her lap in thought.  
"Before I joined up with you all, before I faced my Shadow, I felt as though this is what I deserved. It was my fault that my father was killed and that my mother has to raise me all by herself. Now, however...I have a new purpose. I need to move on to realize my full potential. I just...I can't do it by myself."  
"Who said anything about doing it by yourself?" Yosuke asked with a smile.  
"Yeah, we're here to help you from start to finish!" Chie added.  
"R-Really?" Kyrie asked, wide-eyed.  
Narukami nodded, "Of course. We just have to go about it the legal and proper way."  
"Man, screw the rules! Let's just tell the skank that Ky-chan is ours now and watch her try and stop us!" Kanji grinned, flexing his bicep.  
"Uh, no, that would be kidnapping, moron!" Yosuke snapped.  
"Nah man, kidnapping is like, with ropes 'n guns 'n shit."  
"Or getting pushed into a TV," Yukiko added.  
The group stopped their bickering when a light giggle permeated the air. To their surprise, it was coming from Kyrie.  
"Oh, s-sorry, Ky-chan. We didn't mean to make light of the situation," Yosuke said apologetically.  
Kyrie shook her head with a smile, "Not at all! You're all so funny, it takes my mind off the bad stuff."  
The group exchanged smiles of relief.  
"But Narukami's right, if we're gonna get Kyrie out of her situation, we have to do it properly," Michael said.  
"Yeah, but how do we do that?" Yosuke asked.  
"Michael-kun was up all night studying family law here in the prefecture," Yukiko explained, placing a hand on the former's arm.  
"Whoa, really? You're way ahead of the game here," Chie said.  
Michael rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm putting something together, yeah."  
"We'll help, just tell us what you need," Narukami said confidently.  
Michael turned to Kyrie, "I'm working on something, but I'm going to need your cooperation. Are you onboard?"  
Kyrie nodded, "Yes. Despite everything, I still love my mother, but...I need to get away."  
"Good. I need to read up on it some more, but ideally I'll have an outline thrown together in a day or so."  
"I'll help you tonight. I'll just tell my parents that we need the time to study," Yukiko chimed in.  
"I'll get a feel for how my uncle may react to this. We'll need his help if we're gonna do this the proper way," Narukami added.  
"I'll listen around Junes. If there's anything about Mrs. Hajime going around, the gossiping housewives will know about it," Yosuke said.  
Chie and Kanji glanced at each other.  
"Sheesh, we wanna help, too," Chie muttered.  
"You are! You two are so strong, you make me feel strong too. Strong enough to do this," Kyrie said with a smile.  
"K-Ky-chan..." Chie smiled widely.  
"D-Dammit, kid. Why you gotta say shit like that when I've got somethin' in my eye," Kanji said, looking away.  
"Well, now we know how we're going about this. Michael, you'll let us know when you've got something," Narukami said.  
Michael nodded, "Affirmative."  
Yosuke got to his feet, "Alright then, now that we got that doom and gloom squared away, let's take Ky-chan somewhere fun."  
Chie pumped her fist, "Awww yeah! You up for it, Ky-chan?"  
Kyrie smiled, "Yeah! Let's go!"  
Michael got to his feet, "You all enjoy yourselves. I will return to the inn and resume my research."  
He turned to leave when a hand on his shoulder almost pulled him down.  
"Oh no you don't, mister," Chie said, pulling him back, "You're gonna have fun whether you like it or not!"  
"Respectfully-" Michael began to protest.  
"If you don't come with us, I'll cry!" Kyrie urged.  
Michael sighed and gave a defeated smile, "Very well, onward then."


	41. June 27th

June 27th

Michael and Yukiko approached the school gates early that sunny morning. The sun was growing hotter earlier in the day, but curiously, Yukiko still wore her red cardigan.  
"You know, if you're getting too warm, I can carry your sweater for you," Michael offered.  
Yukiko shook her head with a smile, "No thank you, I keep it on because I really don't like air conditioning blowing on me."  
Michael shrugged, "Fair enough."  
"So did you find out anything regarding Kyrie's situation? Is there a legal action that can be taken?" she asked him.  
Michael took a deep breath, "I have a few preliminary ideas. I asked Yosuke-kun to collect the items we'll need from Junes before he comes to school today."  
Yukiko nodded slowly. Suddenly, she grabbed his arm and stopped, looking up at him with concern in her eyes.  
"Be honest, Michael-kun, what are the chances they'll work?"  
Michael glanced between her eyes and her lips. Despite the seriousness of the situation, his heart still raced when they were face-to-face. He swallowed hard and averted her gaze.  
"It's not so much about whether they'll work or not, it's more the actual result that worries me," he replied.  
Yukiko tilted her head, "What about them worries you?"  
"Well, if we go about this the completely legal way, there's going to be court proceedings, no avoiding that. The problem is, even if Mrs. Hajime is found to be an unfit mother, it's not like Kyrie-chan will be able to just stay in Inaba under her own power. The court will search for her next of kin to take custody of her. If none exists or none are willing to take her in, she'll go into the social services system. Much like back in the U.S., my research states that such a fate is rarely optimal."  
Yukiko's face fell and she bit her lip, "But...then there's no way she can win. I mean, how can-"  
She turned back to face him and was met with a face-full of the gag nose glasses.  
"Snrk..."-her face quivered in rebellion against the looming laughing fit-"don't wear those when I'm trying to be serious! It's too much to process! Why are you of all people carrying a pair of those around?!"  
"Don't be so"-Michael smirked and pushed the glasses further up his nose-"nosy."  
That was the last straw. With a gasp, she threw one hand over her mouth while the other held her stomach, laughter permeating the air. Michael chuckled until he saw Yosuke approaching. With a quick movement, he pulled the glasses off himself and turned to face his approaching comrade.  
"Yosuke," he said after clearing his throat.  
"Mor...nin'?" Yosuke said slowly, glancing at the doubled over form of Yukiko.  
"Uh, what set her off this time?"  
"Forget about it. Did you get what I asked for?" Michael asked.  
Yosuke gave his book bag a shake, "Yeah, sure did. Real strange shopping list though. I mean, cell phone, batteries, cotton balls?"  
"I'll explain it after school. For now, just keep it out of sight."  
Yosuke shrugged, "If you say so."  
Yosuke stood there a few more moments. With Yukiko still laughing and Michael showing no signs of continuing the conversation, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously and started walking up the path to the school once more.  
"See you in school, I guess," he said with a parting wave.  
"Yep," Michael replied simply and waited until he was out of sight.  
Around this time, Yukiko had finally caught her breath and was wiping the tears out of her eyes. Michael reached into his book bag and pulled out a water bottle.  
"Here," he said, extending it to her.  
She accepted it and downed a few swigs immediately.  
"What DON'T you carry in that bag of yours?" she asked, handing the bottle back to him.  
"My heart, for one. In rare instances, I keep it on my sleeve," Michael quipped.  
Yukiko flushed and snickered into her palm, "W-What?! Okay, Chie said it best, you're quite the dork."  
"Copy that."

After school, the group all met up in the homeroom of their second-year comrades.  
"Okay, everyone's here? Let's go over what we've accomplished. I'll start," Yosuke said, placing his book bag on the desk.  
"Late last night, Michael called me with a small and unusual shopping list. As you can see here, I was able to obtain all the items he requested," he explained, opening the bag to reveal its contents.  
"I consulted with my uncle. He said that in a case of child abuse, it could get caught up in the courts for a long time, even with hard evidence of the abuse. Even then, the victim would be placed into social services," Narukami explained, "so, needless to say, it would be best to keep that out of the equation."  
Kyrie sighed, "I knew it would be a stretch..."  
Chie looked up at Michael, "But you found another way, right? You DID find another way?" she insisted.  
"I may have," Michael said, turning to Kanji, "did you fulfill my request?"  
Kanji looked surprised, "Huh? Yeah, I mean, I'm not sure what good it does for us."  
Kanji pulled out a stuffed horse that as noticeably handmade with a small pocket tucked into its neck.  
"Capital. Now we just need a place for me to prepare the main act," Michael said, a slight tone of excitement in his voice.  
"Why not at the inn?" Chie suggested.  
Michael smiled wryly, "Because this could be somewhat dangerous and I'm a devout believer in the old colloquialism: 'don't shit where you eat'."  
The group thought for a moment.  
"How about my place? My uncle's out for the day so the only person there would be Nanako," Narukami suggested.  
Kyrie immediately perked up, "We're gonna see Nanako-chan?"  
Michael nodded, "That would work best. You're positive Dojima-san will be out all day?"  
Narukami chuckled, "Honestly, we rarely see him even at night."  
"Good, good, then we just need one more thing," Michael said.  
"And that is...?" Yosuke asked.  
"Adachi."  
The group looked at him incredulously and exchanged confused glances.  
"Uhh, didn't you say we should be avoiding getting the police involved?" Chie asked.  
"No, I said we should avoid getting Dojima involved. He's an excellent detective, but he's too set in his ways. Everything is by the book, no room for maneuvering. Adachi-san, however, is more or less the long suffering yet hapless underling. He'll likely jump at any chance he can exercise his authority without being under the thumb of his superior. Therefore, much more vulnerable to the power of suggestion," Michael explained.  
The group stared at him, some with looks of fear on their face.  
"Dude...that's scary," Chie said.  
"Do you analyze everyone that way?" Kyrie asked with a wince.  
Michael held up his hands defensively, "Hey, you want this to go smoothly or not?"  
"I'm curious, what's your opinion of me?" Narukami asked innocently.  
Michael facepalmed, "I really think we're getting off-topic here."  
"C'mon guys, let's stay focused!" Yosuke said, clapping his hands together.  
"R-Right. So how do we bring Adachi-san to our service?" Yukiko asked.  
"A bit of leverage," Narukami said with a mischievous smile.  
"Leverage?" Kyrie asked, tilting her head.  
"My uncle has been concerned that Adachi has been slacking off at Junes. Thanks to Yosuke, we can confirm this," Narukami said, nodding to Yosuke.  
"Oh yeah, he's been hanging around the produce department and food court quite a bit. Dude loves his cabbage," Yosuke explained, looking back on the fact with confusion.  
Chie shifted uncomfortably, "So we're seriously gonna blackmail a police detective?"  
"Not blackmail. What Adachi does on his own time is none of our concern, but it will get his attention for sure," Michael replied.  
Kyrie raised her hand in the air.  
"Uh, you don't have to raise your hand to talk, you know," Yosuke pointed out.  
She flushed, "S-Sorry. You all seemed so intense I felt bad about interrupting."  
Chie laughed, "Interrupt? By all means do so, especially when it's Yosuke talking."  
"H-Hey!" Yosuke protested, "D-Don't embarrass me in front of the first year!"  
"But I'm a first year and Chie-senpai embarrasses you in front of me all the time," Kanji pointed out.  
"That's different!"  
"Hey!" Kyrie shouted, even drawing the attention of other students.  
Noticing this, she shrank back down again.  
"I wanted to say I really appreciate all the effort you all are putting in for me. I hope I can repay you one day," she said, much softer this time.  
"Quit thankin' us! You just focus on all the fun you're gonna have once you're free!" Chie said, patting Kyrie's head.  
Michael got to his feet, "Okay folks, we're burning daylight here. Kanji, Yosuke, I trust you two can fetch Adachi-san. The rest of us will head to Narukami's place."  
Yosuke winced, "Why does it have to be me and Kanji?"  
Kanji turned on him with a fury, "What is your deal?! If you're gonna whine the whole time, I can shut you up the old-fashioned way!" He shouted, making a fist.  
"N-Nevermind!" Yosuke replied quickly.  
With that, the group split up and went about their duties.

Back at the Dojima household, the group minus Kanji and Yosuke settled into the house with an excited Nanako.  
"So what are we doing here exactly?" Narukami asked.  
Before Michael could respond, Nanako ran up to the group as they stepped inside.  
"Big bro! Everyone!" Nanako called out cheerfully.  
"Hey there, darlin'," Michael said with a laugh, embracing her in one arm.  
"What are you all doing here?"  
Michael tapped his nose, "That would be a surprise, my dear."  
Nanako's curiosity was immediately piqued, "Is it something really fun?"  
 _Dammit, I need to concentrate,_ Michael hissed in his mind.  
"Absolutely not, it's a school project. However, these lovely young ladies haven't seen you in forever. So why don't you keep them company while your Big Bro and I handle the boring stuff?" Michael said as he beckoned Yukiko over, "Why don't you show Yukiko around your kitchen? Her pursuit of culinary mastery knows no limits."  
Nanako spun around to face Yukiko, "Is that true?!"  
Yukiko looked taken aback, "W-Well-"  
"I'll show you how I make my famous eggs and toast! Daddy and Big Bro love them!" Nanako said excitedly, taking Yukiko by the hand.  
Michael placed a hand on Yukiko's shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Keep her busy, please."  
Yukiko shivered and nodded, "O-Oh, okay."  
As Nanako led Yukiko off, Michael set down his supplies on the dining table and Narukami sat down next to him.  
Narukami tugged at his shirt collar nervously, "Did you really just tell Yukiko to teach Nanako how to cook?"  
Michael smirked, "I was hoping it would be the other way around, actually."  
Michael opened up the cell phone and began fiddling with the wires.  
"So what are you making exactly?" Narukami asked as he watched Michael's fingers move.  
"An improvised listening device," Michael replied, glancing between a small electrical hobbyist's manual and his project.  
"So...you and Yukiko," Narukami said with a leading tone.  
Michael's eye twitched, "Not now."  
"You should have seen the look on her face when you whispered in her ear, it was-"  
"Alright, package prepared," he announced loudly, cutting Narukami off.  
The group gathered around him and examined what he had made.  
"Uhh, so what does this do exactly?" Chie asked.  
"Gather evidence," Michael replied simply.  
Chie facepalmed, "Well, duh! But how?"  
Michael smiled proudly, "The cell phone will be in a call with one of our phones allowing us to record any sounds around it. It is wired up to an external battery which greatly extends its battery life. This will be tucked into the stuffed horse that Kanji-kun made. Kyrie will take it with her into her house and, in doing so, will get us evidence of her abuse."  
"Oooh, that's so cool! It's like a spy movie!" Chie said excitedly.  
Nanako perked up, "Spy movie? You're doing spy things, Big Bro?"  
Narukami laughed nervously and ruffled her hair, "I-It's just a...uh...school project, like we said," he lied.  
"But...why is it a horse?" Yukiko asked.  
Michael snickered, "It's like the Trojan Horse. Couldn't resist."  
Yukiko giggled, "That's so you."  
There was a knock at the door and Narukami got up to answer it. Upon the stoop stood Adachi, Kanji, and Yosuke.  
"Hey there," Adachi said with a cheerful wave as the trio stepped inside.  
"We found him at Junes, as expected," Yosuke explained.  
Adachi winced, "Y-Yeah, you aren't gonna tell Dojima-san, right?"  
Narukami smiled and shook his head, "Don't worry, we just need your help."  
Adachi sobered and nodded, "Your friends were explaining the situation to me. Beating a child is unacceptable. You have my full support as a detective of the Inaba P.D."  
Kyrie greeted him with a short bow, "Adachi-san, was it? I'm Kyrie Hajime, thank you for offering your assistance."  
Adachi flushed and rubbed the back of his neck, "A-All in a day's work. So, what's the plan?"  
They explained everything to the detective who seemed to be keeping up satisfactorily with their story.  
"Whoa, you kids are really on the ball here. So, you just want me to tag along and spook her with my badge, is that right?" Adachi asked.  
Narukami nodded, "That's correct."  
Adachi cupped his chin in his hand, "Okay, I can do that, but why didn't you ask Dojima-san?"  
"We've already been warned about getting involved in police business. We didn't want him to shut us down before we had a chance to do anything," Chie explained.  
"Yeah, Dojima-san is pretty strict. Okay, fair enough, but I can only fit three of you in my car," Adachi replied.  
"Three? Aren't there four more seats?" Yosuke asked.  
Adachi laughed nervously, "W-Well my groceries are in one of them."  
"Why not put them in the trunk?"  
Adachi looked horrified, "That would bruise the produce!"  
The group all exchanged glances with each other.  
"Well, Kyrie has to be one obviously," Michael said.  
"And you should go too, it's your set up," Narukami added.  
"In that case, I'd like Kanji to come along too. We may need his intimidating presence," Michael insisted.  
"Hells yeah! I'm down," Kanji replied, flexing his bicep.  
"I would like to come along as well," Yukiko said softly.  
They all looked at her in surprise.  
"Yukiko-senpai..." Kyrie said with a smile.  
Michael shook his head, "Absolutely not."  
"It won't be dangerous, Michael-kun," Yukiko replied.  
"No, but if this goes sideways, I won't have the heiress of the Amagi Inn a party to it. Not a snowball's chance in He-"- he glanced down at Nanako-"...heck."  
"I'll go," Narukami said abruptly before Yukiko could object.  
Adachi pulled his car keys out of his pocket, "Alrighty, let's saddle up, partners!" he announced cheerfully, "Th-that is how you say it in America, right, Michael-kun?"  
Michael managed a dry smile, "Sure."  
Yukiko pouted, "But...I wanted to go."  
Nanako pulled on her cardigan, "It's okay, Yuki-chan, you can show me how to make your special curry!"  
With several screams and curses, the others stumbled over each other in a panicked evacuation of the room, leaving Yukiko and Nanako standing alone.  
Nanako looked around, wide-eyed, "Whoa...was it something I said?"

With the bugged horse plush in hand, Kyrie walked into her house as Adachi, Narukami, Michael, and Kanji watched from the car. The cell phone had been dialed to a call with Michael's phone. He muted his phone's receiver and began recording.  
"Hi mo-" Kyrie's voice came over the recording.  
"Where have you been?!" a shrill feminine voice cut her off, presumably belonging to Mrs. Hajime.  
"O-Out with friends, I said I was-"  
"Out with friends? And you have the audacity to say you don't have time to work?!"  
"I can't work, mom. I'm only twelve years old..."  
"Excuses! Can't, can't, can't, that's all I ever hear from you! Do you know what I did today? I woke up at 4am just to get to work on time in Okina! Then I drive all the way back here for my second job, all while tutoring math online! And what do you do?! You 'hang out with friends'! If I could get my hands on these 'friends' of yours, I would smack some sense into them!"  
"I'd like to see her try," Kanji grumbled.  
The rant continued on and on, increasing with sharper jabs at Kyrie's character.  
"I-I'll just go up to my room," Kyrie said quickly.  
"Oh no you don't! I'm not through with you yet, you whelp!"  
There was a rustling over the speaker.  
"Ow! My arm!" Kyrie yelped.  
"Oh shut up you whiny little harlot! Where did you get that stuffed animal?"  
The boys looked at each other in concern.  
"I-It's a gift," Kyrie replied shakily.  
"A gift?! You liar! Who would give the likes of YOU a gift? Give it to me!"  
"No!"  
A loud smack rang out.  
"What did you say?! Say no to me one more time, one more time!"  
Another smack was heard.  
"I've heard enough!" Kanji roared, throwing open the car door, "You with me Michael-senpai?!"  
"On your six!" Michael replied, getting behind Kanji.  
"Me too!" Narukami agreed.  
"W-Wait for me!" Adachi shouted.  
The four men ran to the door and pounded hard on it.  
"Yo! Open up! We know you're in there!" Kanji shouted, slamming on the door harder.  
"Inaba P.D.!" Adachi shouted through the door.  
"Go away!" the shrill voice from earlier yelled back, "This is a family affair!"  
Michael, Narukami, and Kanji exchanged determined glances.  
"We'll huff, and we'll puff," Michael began.  
"And we'll kick their shit in!" Kanji finished.  
True to their word, the boys sent their feet flying into the door's locking mechanism. With a loud snap, the door flew open, wood splinters flying from the point of impact.  
Inside, they found Kyrie's mother holding Kyrie by a fistful of her hair.  
"H-Help..." Kyrie managed.  
"You shut it!" Mrs. Hajime hissed before turning to face the four men, "What do you think you're doing breaking into my home like this?!"  
"We had reason to believe someone was in distress. Looks like we were right," Adachi said severely.  
"Let her go, you old bat!" Kanji snarled.  
With a reluctant grinding of her teeth, she did as she was told and released Kyrie who immediately ran into Narukami's arms.  
"Sit down," Michael snapped.  
Mrs. Hajime eyed him with contempt, "You don't have any authority here, Sheriff," she said the last part with a sneer.  
"No, but I do," Adachi said, his voice sounding more confident than usual, "So, sit down!"  
She sat herself down in a chair.  
"I've done nothing wrong, " she sneered.  
Michael turned to Narukami, "Take Kyrie back to the car."  
Narukami glanced between Michael and Kanji before slowly nodding, "Okay, let's go."  
"No, I...I want to stay. I need to see this," Kyrie said.  
Michael and Narukami exchanged concerned glances, but with a nod, acquiesced.  
Michael sat down across from Mrs. Hajime, a paper in his hand.  
"Sign this," Michael said plainly.  
"What is it?" she asked, venom in her words.  
"A custody release. You will no longer be the legal guardian of Kyrie Hajime," Michael replied.  
She looked at him like he was crazy, "And just why would I sign something as outrageous as that?"  
"Because we got you on tape beating her up, bitch!" Kanji snapped.  
A flicker of fear came across Mrs. Hajime's features, "You what?"  
Without a word, Michael picked up the stuffed horse plush and cut it open with his knife. He reached his hand in and pulled out the cell phone.  
"We've been listening this whole time," Adachi said coolly.  
She glanced between their faces nervously.  
"Needless to say, this would be a real pain for everyone involved if it went to court. That being said, we both want the same thing. Kyrie being delivered from this house," Michael explained.  
Mrs. Hajime straightened her dress's skirt and glared at him, "Do you know what she did? It's her fault that my husband is dead. It's her fault that we're nearly penniless. If I am to suffer, she must as well!"  
The coldness in her voice almost seemed to bring down the temperature of the room itself. Kanji, however, was as hot-tempered as ever.  
"You rotten old-" he snarled, advancing on her, but was blocked by an outstretched arm from Michael.  
"You know, Freud theorized that, at one point or another, mothers and daughters are chemically destined to enter into a rivalry. It's all subjective studies based off of his own observations. I wouldn't know through personal experience, I am neither a mother nor a daughter," - Michael stopped to chuckle - "However, I do know one thing and that's the fact that either your signature or your blood will be on that form." Michael's eyes half-shut and he stared at her through this glazed-over look.  
Her eyes narrowed and she smirked, "You honestly expect me to believe that you will hurt me right in front of a policeman?"  
Michael pursed his lips, "No, but he will."  
Michael nodded at the red, seething form of Kanji Tatsumi whose sizeable muscles were bulging and his veins protruding up and down his arms.  
Mrs. Hajime turned to look at the stoic face of Adachi, "You're just going to stand there and let them threaten me?!"  
Adachi looked at his watch, "Oh, look, I'm off-duty."  
Michael raised an eyebrow at him.  
 _I'll have to compliment him on his wit later,_ he thought to himself.  
Mrs. Hajime ground her teeth and breathed heavily. Finally, she snapped the paper out of Michael's hand and signed it on the dotted line.  
"Here, take your damn paper! I have no daughter!" she snarled, slamming the paper down in Michael's lap.  
Michael folded the paper up and tucked it in his blazer pocket, "We'll be leaving now."  
He turned to go, but Kyrie got his attention.  
"Wait, I need my wolf," she said.  
"Your wolf?" Michael asked.  
She pointed behind him at a worn-looking stuffed wolf plush sitting on the couch.  
In an instant, Mrs. Hajime swiped the stuffed animal and held it in her hands.  
"You want your precious wolf? Here's your stupid, stupid wolf!" she shrieked.  
With a vicious tug, she tore the wolf in two, stuffing flying into the air.  
Kyrie screamed in agony and rushed to collect the pieces. Michael felt all the blood rush to his face. His eye twitched and everything seemed to move in slow motion.  
 _Does this mean we're all going to die?_ Yukiko's voice rang again in his head.  
Without even a modicum of self-control, he swung his hand out.  
"PERSONAAUUUGGHHH!" he roared.  
With a loud crack, the back of his hand struck Mrs. Hajime hard across the face. Her arms went limp as she nearly spun around and landed sideways in the chair she had risen from. She turned her head and looked up at him, her eyes possessed by pure fear.  
"Michael!" Narukami shouted, grabbing his arm as he raised it again.  
"Get out of here, kids. Go!" Adachi said urgently.  
"But-"Kanji began.  
"Just go! I'll take it from here! Back to the car, now!"  
Narukami collected up Kyrie who was still clinging to the torn remains of her stuffed animal as Kanji nearly dragged the petrified Michael from the house and back to Adachi's car.  
"Yo, Michael-senpai, you in there?!" Kanji said, waving his hand in front of Michael's face.  
Michael slowly nodded and rubbed his face, "Yeah...yeah."  
"I'm not saying the old broad didn't have it comin', but you ain't the type of guy to just deck someone like that," Kanji said.  
"I...uh...yeah. Just...lost my cool," Michael replied, an emotional distance in his words.  
Narukami was consoling a weeping Kyrie, trying to put the stuffing she had collected from the floor back into the animal's husk.  
"Here, looks like you got most of it," Narukami said warmly.  
Kanji kneeled down next to them and examined the remains.  
"Don't worry, kid. I'll get your little buddy looking good as new in no time," Kanji said, placing a hand on her shoulder.  
Kyrie wiped away a tear, "Y-You promise?"  
Kanji nodded, "Absolutely."  
"It must be really important to you," Narukami observed.  
Kyrie smiled faintly, "My daddy gave it to me."  
"Ah...right."  
A few minutes later, Adachi came walking out of the Hajime house.  
"I got good news, fellas," he said proudly, "Mrs. Hajime said she won't be pressing charges against Michael-kun for the assault."  
Michael breathed a sigh of relief, "How did you manage that?"  
Adachi rubbed his nose, "I can be pretty charming when I want to be," he said with a dopey smile.  
His smile faded when he saw Kyrie, "How're ya doing, Kyrie-chan?"  
Kyrie sighed and gave him a forced smile, "I never expected it to be easy."  
Adachi opened the driver's door of the car, "Well it's all over now. C'mon, I'll take you guys home."  
Kyrie stared at them, "And where's that for me now?"  
Michael pulled the folded paper out of his pocket and handed it to her, "See for yourself," he said.  
She opened the document and examined it. She read the bottom of the page where her mother's shaky signature was written.  
Just below it, where her new guardian was designated, was the name Ryotaro Dojima.


	42. July 10th

July 10th

Michael shot awake as the sound of sirens filled the morning air. The Investigation Team had settled into a blissful slumber after confirming the night before that no one appeared on the Midnight Channel and thus they had succeeded in rescuing its latest victim, Rise Kujikawa.  
Despite this, Michael felt panic grip at his chest. He quickly threw on his clothes and sprinted down the hallway, nearly stumbling down the stairs, as he raced out to the street in front of the inn. Another police car zoomed by him.  
"No...it couldn't be..." Michael muttered under his breath.  
"Michael-kun?" a sleepy voice said behind him.  
Michael turned and saw Yukiko standing behind him, rubbing her eyes sleepily.  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
Michael slowly shook his head, "I don't know, but I have a bad feeling-"  
He was interrupted by a loud ringtone coming from Yukiko's phone.  
Yukiko pulled it out and examined the screen.  
"Oh, it's Chie," she said before answering it.  
"Chie, good mor-...No I "- Yukiko's face suddenly went pale-"...are you sure?! B-But that can't be!"  
"What is it?" Michael asked urgently, concern on his face.  
"Y-Yes, we will be there. Good bye." Yukiko said into the receiver before slowly letting the hand that held her phone hang limply at her side.  
"Yuki, please," Michael urged, placing a hand on her arm.  
"Th-they found...they found a dead body just outside the Shopping District," Yukiko replied softly.  
Michael's eyes widened, "But...that can't be. Rise was rescued, I mean she texted all of us yesterday!"  
Yukiko brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear, "Chie said that Yosuke-kun is going to go investigate the scene, but the rest of us are to meet up at Junes as soon as possible."  
Michael nodded, "Understood. I'll meet you back out here shortly."  
He went to go back inside the inn, but stopped when he noticed Yukiko was not following him. He sighed and, without a word, wrapped his arms around her. After waiting a moment, she returned his embrace and buried her face in his chest.  
"We'll get to the bottom of this, we always do," he said softly, gently swaying side to side.  
After a few seconds, Yukiko carefully pushed herself off of him and nodded, "Y-You're right. There must be a reasonable explanation."  
Michael smiled, "Right. Now go on and get ready. I'll let your parents know where we'll be."  
With that, Yukiko hurried back into the inn, but Michael stopped one last time and looked in the direction of the shopping district where the sirens had converged. After a deep breath to calm his nerves, he walked into the lobby and shut the door behind him.

Michael and Yukiko arrived at the team's table at Junes at the same time as Narukami and Kyrie. Chie and Kanji were already awaiting their arrival.  
"Oh good, you're all here," Chie said, a serious excitement in her voice, "Yosuke should be back soon."  
As if on cue, Yosuke came sprinting through the food court toward the table and stopped just as he reached it, doubling over and holding his knees as he attempted to catch his breath.  
"Yeah...it was...murder...all right," he managed in between breaths.  
He stopped again to catch his breath, but Chie deemed him unfit for respite.  
"And? And? C'mon! Keep talking!" she urged, grabbing his ear.  
"Ow ow ow! Okay! Okay! The body was hanging upside down on an apartment's rooftop railing!" he said, swatting Chie's hand away.  
"But...how could that be...?" Yukiko murmured.  
"Yosuke, was it Rise?" Michael asked urgently.  
It felt as though everyone held their breath at this question.  
Yosuke shook his head, "No, it wasn't. The victim this time...it was King Moron."  
Everyone leapt from their seats and stared at him.  
"K-King Moron?!" Chie stammered.  
"I-Isn't that Senpai's homeroom teacher?" Kyrie asked.  
"Seriously? THAT King Moron?" Kanji shouted.  
"What other King Moron is there?" Michael grunted.  
"B-But why..." Chie was at a loss for words.  
"How am I supposed to know?!" Yosuke snapped, "But I talked to a guy there who saw it! It's true, there's no mistake."  
"You gotta be shitting me, ain't the killer only targeting people that appear on TV? I ain't never seen King Moron on the Midnight Channel or any other programs!" Kanji shouted.  
"Why...why did this happen?!" Yosuke growled.  
"I thought we finally figured some things out...were they all just one big coincidence?" Chie said, uncertainty in her voice.  
"Were we in over our heads, trying to catch a culprit that even the police couldn't find?" Yosuke lamented.  
Michael kicked his chair aside, anger and irritation etched into his features.  
"Is this the 'woe is us' portion of the conversation now?" he snapped.  
"Oh, I'm sorry, I tend to get a little upset when someone I would see every day is found dead and hanging from a rooftop!" Yosuke rebutted, dryly.  
"Stop fighting , you guys!" Kyrie shouted.  
Narukami stepped between them before the argument escalated, "Look, it's too early for us to be making any judgments, we hardly know the facts."  
"Damn straight!" Kanji replied, "We started this whole thing because the police can't tell their asses from their elbows! We give up now and that shithead's gonna be on the loose forever. Michael's right, this ain't the time for bitchin' and moanin'. We just gotta keep on keepin' on."  
The group had their eyes fixed on him, the unexpected aptitude for oratory pursuits taking them all by surprise.  
"Big talk coming from someone like you, Kanji," Yosuke smirked.  
Kanji's confident visage was shaken and replaced with the reddening of his cheeks, "Wh-what's that supposed'ta' mean?!"  
Yosuke chuckled and then sighed, "I know. We're dealing with a murderer here. But we've all risked our lives to get this far. No way we'll back down. Besides, we promised the bear too."  
"Oh yeah! Maybe Teddie knows something about this!" Chie suggested.  
Yosuke shrugged, "Well, since moping around won't do us any good, let's go see him!"  
The team made their way toward the electronics department.  
"So, Kyrie-chan, how are your new lodgings treating you?" Michael asked.  
Kyrie gave a contented smile, "It's better than I could have asked for. Nanako-chan and I share a room and I get a full breakfast every morning. I couldn't ask for me."  
Michael nodded, "Good, good. I'm glad it all worked out."  
"Yeah, Nanako's been treating it like a never-ending sleepover. I don't have to worry about her being lonely while I'm out anymore," Narukami added.  
"How did Dojima-san react to finding out he got a new daughter?" Yukiko asked, a somewhat amused smile on her face.  
Narukami rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "The hardest part was explaining HOW he got the new daughter. After we got that squared away, I think he was happy Nanako had someone else to play with."  
Michael raised an eyebrow, "That sounds surprisingly painless."  
"Now I ain't no fan of the cops, but your uncle seems like a stand-up guy. I ain't surprised in the least," Kanji replied.  
The group stopped short at the electronics department when they saw a pair of store employees standing in front of their TV portal. Their faces expressed bewilderment as they conversed.  
Yosuke approached them with a wide smile, "Hi there. Did something happen?"  
"Ah, Yosuke-kun," one said, relief in her voice.  
"Great timing, did the manager tell you anything about this?" the other asked.  
"Uh, tell me anything about what?" Yosuke asked slowly.  
"There's been this weird mascot wandering around this department for awhile now. Is there some kinda campaign going on today?"  
Yosuke tilted his head, "Mascot...?"  
Kyrie's eyes widened, "You don't think..."  
The female employee scratched her head, "He said his name was uh... Terry? Eddie?"  
"It's Teddie!" Kyrie said in a harsh whisper.  
Yosuke clearly heard her, for he had a look of shock on his face.  
"I-I'll handle it, go ahead and return to your stations," he said good-naturedly, disguising the panic in his voice.  
The pair of employees shrugged and did as they were told.  
Yosuke facepalmed, "Please don't tell me..."  
"Hi Teddie!" Kyrie shouted and began waving.  
The team all looked where she was waving and saw the rotund form of Teddie laying back on a massage chair.  
"Whoa! He's really here!" Chie cried in surprise.  
Michael growled and shook his head, "This isn't good."  
Yukiko looked up at him with a questioning look, "Why do you say that?"  
Michael's scowl intensified, "If Teddie can come into our world, what's to keep Shadows from doing the same thing?"  
Yukiko's eyes widened, but no one else heard Michael's concerns.  
If Teddie had noticed them, he made no indication of doing so. He seemed to be completely caught up in the experience of the massage chair.  
"Ahhhhh. This really hits the spot," he said happily.  
"Wh- what the- I mean, how did you-" Yosuke stammered.  
"It took you guys long enough! I've been waiting," Teddie replied, now alerted to their presence.  
"Teddie, are you okay on this side?!" Yukiko asked.  
"And how did you even leave your side?" Kanji added.  
"Of course I can come out! There is an exit, after all. It just never occurred to me to try it before," Teddie replied as if the matter was the simplest in the world, "But spending time with you all has sparked my curiosity about this world. I did wonder if it was a good idea, but my feet started moving before I could decide. When I thought about it, I had nowhere to go and it was a waste to go back. So I just waited for you guys."  
Michael shook his head, "That was foolish. If you had been seen leaving the TV, you would have caused any number of problems for yourself and for us."  
Kyrie pinched Michael's arm, "Be nice! Now Teddie won't be left behind anymore, this is a good thing!"  
Michael drew his arm back and rubbed the pinched area, "We can debate the pros and cons of this later. Didn't we come to ask him something?"  
Yukiko nodded, "Teddie, there's something we need to ask you."  
"Fire away!" Teddie replied.  
"How long have you been here? Did anyone enter the other world?" Yukiko asked.  
Teddie considered the question for a moment, "I stayed until the fog rolled back in on my side, but no one came."  
"You're positive? Are you really sure you didn't see a single person?" Yosuke pressed.  
Teddie's face betrayed his annoyance, "I just said I didn't! I was there by myself, like always! Hmph!"  
"And your nose wasn't clogged or anything...?" Yosuke continued.  
"A fair question," Michael said.  
"Grrr, aren't you listening?!I was utterly, totally, and one-hundred percent alone! That's why I came over here!"  
Teddie's face began to soften and he sighed, "But I can understand if you don't believe me. My senses haven't been all that good lately anyways..."  
"It's okay, Teddie. I believe you," Narukami said warmly.  
Teddie gave him a big smile, "Oh! Sensei's heart is radiating pure kindness!"  
"Well, the Midnight Channel was blank, plus Teddie said no one was thrown in before that. So...could that mean that King Moron was never on that side?" Chie theorized.  
Yosuke rubbed his temples, "What's going on...?"  
"I think you all are over-thinking this," Michael said.  
They all turned to face him.  
"What do you mean?" Narukami asked.  
"We've been so focused on the fact that this string of murders has been related to the TV that we're forgetting that murders can be perpetrated via conventional methods," he explained.  
"I don't know, man. The foggy night, the body hanging upside down, it's all too closely related," Yosuke said with doubt in his voice.  
"We can go over facts and theories later. For now, we have something else that demands our attention," Narukami said, turning to face Teddie.  
"Hey, hey! I wanna go somewhere!" the latter said excitedly.  
Kanji shook his head, "Seriously? Now ain't the time, dude. You seriously don't plan on going back anytime soon, do you? Where would a guy like you wanna go, anyway?"  
Teddie leapt off the massage chair and fumbled around in the pocket of his bear suit.  
"I want to give this to Rise-chan! It's for her!" he announced, pulling a pink-framed pair of Teddie glasses from his pocket.  
Narukami took the glasses and placed them in his pocket.  
"You've been busy," Narukami said.  
Teddie nodded, "It's likely that Rise-chan will be backing us up from now on. So that means I'm gonna fight alongside you guys with everything I've got!"  
Michael held up his hands, "I'm sure we can appreciate the enthusiasm, but you only just now awakened your Persona. You might take a little adjusting time to-"  
Teddie cut him off, "Maybe the OLD Teddie would need time to adjust, but you're looking at an all new model! I bear a powerful attack, an unbeatable defense, and a winning smile! Today begins the New Legend of Teddie!"  
"I'm so proud of you, Teddie!" Kyrie squealed, giving him a big hug.  
The rest of the team was not nearly as impressed by his self-aggrandizing monologue. That is, except for Yukiko.  
"Wow...a new legend..." she said with awe.  
Chie and Michael looked at her, then at each other, and shook their heads in defeat.  
A crowd has begun to gather around them as Teddie recited his speech.  
"Dammit, can you keep it down, Ted? Gah, let's go somewhere else," Yosuke hissed.

The group returned to their table at the Junes food court, the hot summer sun in full-force.  
"So we can be fairly certain now that King Moron wasn't thrown into a TV," Yosuke said.  
"So, what, he was killed over here? Why not throw him into a TV like the others?" Chie asked.  
"Maybe they didn't have the opportunity," Narukami suggested.  
Yosuke shrugged, "I guess that's possible. Maybe the killer screwed up and King Moron put up a fight so he had to killed without the TV."  
"But then why not just throw the body into the TV?" Michael asked.  
Yukiko spoke up, "Maybe he thought he couldn't kill any more people by throwing them into TVs. I mean, we prevented their last three attempts in a row," she suggested.  
Kyrie nodded, "So the killer realized that it isn't foolproof anymore."  
"So they snuffed someone on our side to make sure it worked. Dammit, if that's true then we have no way of preventing more murders unless we catch the killer!" Kanji growled.  
Michael grunted to himself, dissatisfied.  
"We need more clues...I wonder if Rise-chan is up and about yet?" Chie said.  
"She texted me last night and said she's back to normal," Narukami replied.  
"As far as clues go, we'll have to put our hopes on her," Yosuke said.  
Teddie shook his head and grimaced, "It's so hot out! I'm taking this off," he declared.  
To everyone's dismay, he began working the zipper around his suit's head piece.  
"What?! No, you can't take that off here! There are kids watching! They'll be scarred for life if they see an empty mascot suit walking around! Have a little consideration, man!" Yosuke growled, holding Teddie's head on.  
"I am glad you're back to normal again. Your fur's all fuzzy!" Yukiko said cheerfully.  
"Yeah, you took a real beating in that last fight. It's good to see you back up to snuff," Narukami added.  
Kanji's face reddened, "Can I...Can I feel it?"  
"No!" Teddie snapped.  
Kanji's face looked downtrodden and Kyrie began petting Teddie, "But I can!" she cooed.  
"Actually," Teddie said with a smile, "I am no longer just a hollow bear. I trained and trained, hoping one day I can score with Chie-chan and Yuki-chan...And now I finally have an inside!"  
"Yeah...good luck with that," Chie groaned.  
"Oh come on! Can we give it a rest with the whole 'scoring' thing?!" Yukiko snapped.  
Against his conscious will, Michael felt a geyser of anger within him and scooted himself closer to Yukiko protectively.  
Yosuke shook his head, "Either way dude, you're hollow. Taking off your head isn't going to cool you down."  
Teddie scowled and shook his head, "I just told you I'm not hollow anymore! Agh, it's too hot, I can't stand it!"  
With a mighty tug, the bear head came off. To everyone's shock, instead of the empty space inside that they expected, they were greeted with the face of a young boy with blonde hair combed off in a wave and big blue eyes.  
"What in the goddamn..." Michael said under his breath.  
"That was...unexpected," Narukami said, even his usual deadpan expression betrayed shock.  
"Hey, Chie-chan, Yuki-chan," the boy Teddie said in his best suave voice.  
"Y-Yes?" Chie peeped.  
"Do you have anything to wear? I'm like a newborn at the moment..."  
"T-Teddie is that really you?" Chie asked in awe.  
"...Put the fuzzy head back on," Kyrie said with a pout.  
Teddie's words suddenly struck Chie like a truck, "Wait, did you say you're like a newborn?! Then you better leave the bottom part on until we find something for you to wear! C'mon, let's go look around for some clothes. Yukiko, Kyrie, mind coming along?"  
The girls rose from their seats.  
"You gonna be okay with this?" Michael whispered to Yukiko.  
"I'll be fine. If he gets fresh, I know where to kick him now," she purred.  
Michael smiled, "Godspeed."  
With that, the girls marched Teddie off.  
"So that's really Teddie? So he, like, grew himself a human body in that suit of his?" Kanji asked incredulously.  
"What kind of creature would do that?!" Yosuke said, exasperated.  
"Better question, what kind of creature COULD do that?" Michael said.  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose, "Then again, this wouldn't be the first bizarre thing we've seen."  
"That's what I keep telling myself," Narukami said.  
"Eh, it's probably better than him going everywhere in that bear suit of his though," Yosuke conceded.  
"Well, while the girls are getting Teddie squared away, let's head over to Rise's," Narukami suggested.

The boys parked themselves at a small eatery next door to Marukyu Tofu at Kanji's insistence.  
"Mmm-mm! Finally the season for Topsicles again!" he exclaimed happily, holding the frosted treat in his hand and licking at it greedily.  
"Dude, how many are you going to eat? You're gonna get a stomach ache," Yosuke cautioned.  
"Don't you want any, Michael?" Narukami asked.  
Michael held up a hand, "I'm fine. I lose my appetite when I'm thinking."  
Yosuke pointed down the street with his free hand, "Hey, here come the girls."  
"Sorry we're late," Chie said, looking tired.  
"I was getting worried," Michael replied, eyeing Yukiko.  
"I-I'm sorry. I should have called," she said, her cheeks turning rosy.  
"How did it take you that long to find clothes for Ted?" Yosuke asked, annoyed.  
"For the record, I tried to convince him to just stick with the bear suit," Kyrie said with a pout.  
"You girls walk too fast," came Teddie's voice from behind them.  
No longer wearing his bear suit, he now sported a frilly white dress shirt with a rose pinned to his chest and dark slacks. Despite the extravagant outfit, he still looked barely middle school age.  
"Whoa, Teddie, is that you?" Yosuke asked.  
Teddie brushed his hair to the left with a flourish, "Oui, monsieur. How do I look?" Teddie replied.  
"Like you came straight out of West Hollywood," Michael replied dryly.  
"Uhh...good?" Narukami replied in turn.  
"I have to say, it blew my mind at first, but he's Teddie alright," Chie said, looking haggard, "This guy had to make the whole thing a huge ordeal. Everything was new to him, so it turned into a big mess. He was so excited when we passed the women's section that he started blabbering on and on..."  
"Real bears aren't this perverted," Kyrie muttered.  
"Teddie, I'm going to warn you right now. Yukiko, Chie, and Kyrie have all been exceedingly tolerant of your childish quirks. However, not everyone else will be so accommodating. Keep us and yourself out of trouble and behave," Michael lectured.  
"Exactly, you can't just do whatever you want just because you're in this form!" Chie added.  
Teddie sighed and looked at his feet, "I thought this was going to be fun..."  
Yukiko giggled, "He can't help it, it's his first time in our world."  
Michael and Chie glanced at each other and sighed.  
"All right...you don't have to get all mopey like that," Chie grumbled.  
"Yeah, you just have a lot to learn. We'll keep you on track," Kyrie said with a smile.  
Teddie breathed a sigh of relief, "I'm so glad. I thought maybe you guys didn't like me anymore."  
Chie snickered, "You know, if you can behave yourself, you might be able to come off as a pretty cute fella."  
Yosuke chuckled and turned to Kanji, "Well, what do you think, Kanji? Is he cute?"  
Kanji looked confused, "Huh? Hell're you askin' me for?"  
Yosuke shrugged, "Just wondering if he's your type."  
Kanji processed that for a moment before a heavy scowl was etched onto his features.  
"Ooh, I get it now. What you're really asking is, 'Will you please beat the shit out of me, Kanji?'"  
"Snrk..." Yukiko began, holding her stomach.  
Michael smiled on impulse, "Here it comes."  
"It ain't funny, Yukiko-senpai," Kanji growled.  
"S-Sorrheeheehee," she snickered.  
"I'll get you some water," Michael said, turning back to the eatery's counter.  
Chie shook her head, "You'll have to forgive Yukiko. She's helpless when she gets this way."  
Teddie brushed his hair aside with a flourish, "Oh come on, baby. You all don't have to fight over me."  
Kanji stepped toward him, "Shuddup! You pickin' a fight with me?!"  
That was the final straw for Yukiko.  
"Ahahahahahaha!" she gasped, holding her mouth and stomach.  
"Alright, hyena-tan, deep breaths," Michael said, handing her a cup of water which she accepted.  
Yosuke sighed and pulled out a thousand yen bill and handed it to Kanji.  
"Here, Kanji. Get whatever ice cream you want, just share it with Teddie. We're gonna head for the tofu shop, wait here until we get back."  
Teddie's mouth fell agape, "Wow, you're rich."  
"I- I can't just take this from you!" Kanji stammered.  
Yosuke smiled proudly, "Think of it as an impromptu welcome party for Teddie. Just don't go around making a racket."  
"You feeling okay?" Michael asked.  
"I must ask the same thing," Narukami added.  
"For real, Yosuke's acting like a real senpai all of a sudden," Chie said in awe.  
"He just likes Teddie and won't admit it," Kyrie teased.  
"I'm so glad he's become such a mature adult," Chie continued, "a man who doesn't let trifles bother him."  
Michael's eyes narrowed, " She's layin' it on thick. This can't be good."  
"Yeah...you're worrying me, Chie," Yosuke winced.  
Chie smiled nervously, "Oh, it's just about Teddie's clothes, that's all."  
"...What about them?"  
"We didn't have enough money to pay for them, so we charged the difference to you."  
Yosuke nearly choked on his latest lick of Topsicle.  
"WHAT?! You put it on MY account?! What the Hell, Chie?! I never said you could do that!"  
Chie's body language immediately signified defensiveness.  
"What else were we supposed to do?! Those clothes were expensive, even for Junes!"  
"You seriously charged it to me?! You know I just bought a motorcycle! I'm broke!"  
The back and forth exchange went on this way for quite awhile. Kanji and Teddie ran off to buy more ice cream while Narukami, Kyrie, Michael, and Yukiko remained with the bickering pair who showed no signs of stopping.  
"They're probably gonna be like that for awhile," Yukiko observed.  
"Yeah, let's leave them be," Michael said.  
Narukami and Kyrie exchanged shrugs and the four kids made their way to the Marukyu Tofu. The group stopped short when a familiar short, azure figure stepped out of the shop.  
"I had a feeling you'd come," Naoto said coolly.  
"You're..." Yukiko breathed.  
"Who is that?" Kyrie asked, stepping to safety behind Narukami.  
"Ah, King-san. Now that you've ingratiated yourself with the Amagis and their daughter, have you come to do the same with Rise Kujikawa?" Naoto asked, the sharpness in his tongue apparent.  
Michael's eyes narrowed, but Yukiko's sudden and stiff grip on his forearm made him stay in place. He was about to retort with a verbal jab, but Yosuke's voice behind him cut him off.  
"Why did the clerk even let them charge it to someone else? I should report this," he lamented.  
His eyes fell on Naoto and a look of surprise came over his face.  
"Huh?! You're that guy we saw with Kanji," he said.  
Naoto nodded, "Precisely. I don't believe we've met since then. In fact, I don't believe I ever introduced myself to any of you other than King-san."  
Naoto cleared his throat, "My name is Naoto Shirogene. I am investigating the multiple murders that have occurred here in Inaba."  
Yosuke snorted, "Uh, aren't you a little young to be a detective?"  
Naoto's calm visage was shattered by this insinuation and a scowl overtook his face.  
"I thought the same, but he checks out. I called his credentials into the Inaba P.D. after my first run-in with him. He's legit," Michael replied.  
"Mind if I ask you all a few questions on the subject?" Naoto replied, his demeanor calm once again.  
"Actually we were-" Michael began.  
"The latest victim, Kinshiro Morooka, he was a teacher at the school you all attend, correct?" Naoto asked.  
"S-So what?" Chie said nervously.  
"The public is so focused on the fact that he is associated with the second victim's school, but in truth that is irrelevant. What intrigues me most is the inconsistency. This Morooka has never appeared on television."  
The group displayed various expressions of shock. Even Michael's scowl and Narukami's deadpan gaze were compromised.  
Naoto smirked upon witnessing their reactions.  
"So what do you make of that?" he asked.  
"We're not your sounding board," Michael snapped and brushed past Naoto.  
Yukiko followed closely and the others followed suit up the steps to the tofu shop.  
"I'll be keeping an eye on you all," Naoto said before turning on his heel and taking his leave down the sidewalk.  
"It's like he saw right through us..." Chie whispered in awe.  
"He didn't seem very nice at all," Kyrie muttered.  
The group was so focused on their reflections of the encounter that they did not notice the copper-haired girl step up to them.  
"Oh, hi," Rise said simply.  
The group spun around to face her. She wore an orange dress with short white pants. Her hair was in its usual twin-tail style and the makings of a crocodile grin appeared at the corners of her mouth.  
"Rise-chan!" Yukiko exclaimed, "Are you okay now?"  
Rise nodded with a smile, "Are you all here to check up on me?"  
"Yeah, that's right," Narukami replied.  
Rise shifted uncomfortably and looked off to the side, "Um, do you guys have a moment? There's something I want to tell you."  
"Sure thing. Is that cool with the rest of you?" Narukami said.  
Everyone responded affirmatively.  
"Follow me. My grandma's taking care of the shop today," Rise turned and made her way down the sidewalk, the team in tow.

"So when you came to, you were already in the other world?" Narukami clarified as Rise led them to the local shrine.  
"Mhm, sorry I couldn't be more help," Rise said sadly.  
"Hey so, we met this weird kid named Naoto a second ago..." Yosuke said.  
"Oh, him. He's come to the shop several times asking about the incident," Rise replied, "I didn't tell him anything about the other world, though. I figured it would be a waste of time."  
"Did he ask about us?" Michael asked.  
"Yeah, but I made stuff up. I just said you guys found me unconscious in Junes."  
"Well I guess that's close enough to the truth," Yosuke said with a shrug.  
Rise looked down at her feet, "So...um..."  
"What's up?" Michael asked.  
"I...I really appreciate what you all did for me...and...and..." Rise stammered.  
Suddenly, her face light up and she leapt into the air with vigor, "Thank you sooooo much! I love you guys!" she squealed.  
The whole team was caught off guard by the sudden outburst from the previously malaise-stricken girl.  
"Awww, y-you don't have to thank us," Chie said.  
Yosuke nudged Michael in the ribs with his shoulder, "Dude...she's so cute."  
Michael snorted and looked down at the top of Yukiko's head.  
 _I think I'm good,_ he thought contentedly.  
"Man, it's finally hitting me that you're the real deal. You're really Risette," Yosuke said to Rise, star-struck.  
Rise considered him, "Well, I know I sounded all gloomy and stuff from the stress...so I-I thought you might not like me that way...Do I sound weird?"  
"We'd like you no matter which way you are, just relax," Narukami said warmly.  
"I'm sorry, with all the acting I've done, I think I've lost touch with the real me," Rise replied.  
"I think everyone has multiple sides to them, you don't have to force yourself to decide on just one," Yukiko said with a smile, "Like Michael-kun here. He's really uptight, but he's a dork, too."  
"Did you really need to personify your point with an example?" Michael groaned.  
Chie chuckled, "It sounds convincing when Yukiko says it."  
"Huh? R-Really?" Yukiko asked, taken aback.  
"Hey listen," Narukami said, reaching into his shirt pocket, "We brought something for you. It's your own pair of Teddie glasses. They help you see through the fog in the other world. I don't mean to pressure you or anything, but-"  
"Would you be struggling without my help, Senpai?" Rise asked abruptly.  
"We could use a new navigator, but I-"  
"Then wouldn't it be best if I joined your team?"  
Michael looked impressed, "I admire your attitude, Rise-san."  
"I'll be a first-year at Yasogami High starting tomorrow, but I don't have any other friends. So do you think we could...?" Rise acted as though she were addressing the whole group, but she really only had her eyes on Narukami.  
"Sure, I'll show you around," Narukami said.  
Rise flushed, "Wow, I didn't realize you were so cool, Senpai."  
 _Subtle,_ Michael thought dryly.  
"I'm a first year too, Rise-chan. I hope we're put in the same class," Kyrie said sweetly.  
Rise smiled at her, "Aww, me too, Kyrie-chan."  
"Yo guys, how's it goin'?" Kanji said, approaching from behind them, "Dude, Teddie ate like five Topsicles. Although, if you count the ones I had before, I ate six. So I win."  
Yosuke pinched the bridge of his nose, "No one asked."  
"Besides, we're all done talking already. Let's go home, Senpai," Rise said cheerily, wrapping her arms around Narukami's arm.  
"Uh y-yeah," Narukami stammered, his cheeks reddening.  
Kanji raised an eyebrow, "When did she get so chipper?"  
"You go to Yasogami High too, right? I start tomorrow, I hope we get along!" Rise said.  
Kanji shrugged, "Oh...cool."  
"Not that I'm not glad you're here or anything, Kanji, but weren't you supposed to babysit Teddie?" Michael asked.  
Kanji threw a thumb over his shoulder, "He's back there finishing up his fifth Topsicle. Come to think of it, the Hell're we gonna do with him?"  
Narukami turned to Michael and Yukiko, "There wouldn't happen to be a spare room at the Amagi Inn he can stay in for a few-"  
"Absolutely not!" Michael and Yukiko replied in unison.  
Yosuke sighed, "I guess I'll take him home then...Thanks a lot," he said bitterly.  
As the sun set, the group walked their newfound comrade back home, the young idol turning heads the whole way.


	43. July 11th

**Hello readers, my apologies for the month-long absence. The holidays, work, and family issues had taken up not only my time but my will to write as well. I hope to return to a steady schedule again soon. That being said, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year!**

July 11th

A cacophony of theories, exultations, and exclamations of disbelief filled the school early that morning, all of which were influenced by Mr. Morooka's sudden and brutal death.  
"Hey is that stuff about King Moron real?" one student asked.  
"It was on TV, it must be real!" another replied.  
 _Tch, if only they knew,_ Michael thought bitterly.  
The classroom quieted when the doors slid open and in stepped a rather voluptuous woman in casual business attire. Recognizing her as a teacher, the students quickly scurried to their assigned seats and watched her approach the desk.  
"Goooood morning!" the women said cheerfully in a rather sultry voice.  
Michael could not determine which article of clothing was more off-putting: her candy-apple red high heels or the fact that her bra was peeking out the top of her button-up shirt.  
The woman continued speaking.  
"I am Noriko Kashiwagi, your new homeroom teacher starting today. You all probably know this already, but now that Mr. Morooka has passed away, I'll be the one taking very good care of you instead."  
She giggled suggestively.  
Michael turned and shot Narukami a concerned glance who, in turn, looked just as uncomfortable.  
"Okay, why don't we start off with a moment of silence for Mr. Morooka?" Ms. Kashiwagi said, what little grief there was in her voice being clearly feigned.  
"Alright everyone, close your eyes."  
Everyone did as they were told.  
After a few seconds had passed, Kashiwagi spoke again.  
"That should be enough, go ahead and open!"  
Upon doing so, a few students emitted gasps of shock. Kashiwagi had moved from her position standing next to the front desk to sitting upon it, the view up her short skirt just barely being obscured by her crossed legs. Michael immediately turned away and found himself face to face with Yukiko who had endeavored to do the same.  
 _Ah, much better,_ he thought to himself .  
"I will be doing my best to fill Mr. Morooka's shoes. Exams remain on schedule to be held next week. As your principal said, 'It's times like these when the schedule is most important, Nori-chan.'"  
She stopped to giggle.  
"It must be so tough for you, but that's what it means to become an adult, little by little."  
The students had begun to whisper their opinions of their new sensei to one another and Michael was able to overhear a few such comments.  
"I already can't stand her," one female voice said.  
"First we get King Moron and now we get Kashiwagi? How much worse can it get?" a male voice said this time.  
Ms. Kashiwagi cleared her throat to bring the class' attention back to her.  
"One more thing, class. That idol in the first-year class, Ms. Kujikawa, was it? In person, she's nothing like the way she is on TV, so don't you be getting your hopes up, okay?"  
Her face showed greater disdain as she spoke, but her voice remained bitterly calm.  
"What's so great about an idol anyway? She's just a piece of inexperienced jailbait."  
Michael had heard enough. He raised his hand.  
"Hm? Oh, you're the American boy, King-kun, was it?" Kashiwagi said, her voice suddenly normalizing again.  
"Perhaps the moral of this...lecture is lost on me, but how does belittling the life and occupation of a fellow student teach us anything?" Michael asked.  
There was a cold shake to his voice, but he never broke eye contact.  
For a moment, Kashiwagi's self-assured visage was betrayed by a look of anger.  
"I'm merely trying to illustrate the point that real women are unlike those little dolls they put on those silly commercials. It is unhealthy for young men such as yourself to idealize them."  
This time, it was Chie's turn to speak.  
"Whoa, hold on, did you just imply that Rise-chan isn't a real woman?" she asked, a challenge in her voice.  
The murmur of the classroom began to increase in volume.  
"What is up with her? Does she seriously think she's Risette's rival?" one student said.  
"She doesn't stand a chance against Risette. I mean, Kashiwagi's on the wrong side of forty," another said.  
"I heard King Moron once bought one of Risette's pin up books!" one student claimed.  
"That's kinda pervy, isn't it?" another replied.  
Michael pinched the bridge of his nose.  
 _This wasn't the constructive debate I had hoped to incite,_ he groaned in his thoughts.  
"Hey speaking of Risette, didn't you hear she was on a striptease show?"  
Upon hearing this bit of gossip, Narukami, Yosuke, Michael, Chie, and Yukiko all snapped their heads to look at the student who uttered it.  
"Hark!" Michael hissed.  
The student who the gossiper was speaking to shook his head with doubt.  
"Dude, if that was true, the paparazzi would have been all over it."  
"I'm serious, man! But the reception went bad right when it was getting to the good part. It was on that Midnight Channel that everyone keeps talking about."  
The other student openly chuckled, "You actually believe in that crap? How dense are you? You were just dreaming, man."  
Chie swore.  
"The rumor about the Midnight Channel is spreading further," she muttered.  
Yosuke nodded, "We gotta start wrapping this case up quick. Let's meet up after school, don't make plans for this afternoon."  
"Oh, King-kun!" Kashiwagi said suddenly.  
Michael spun around to face her.  
"A word after class? I would love to pick your brain on your opinions of certain women a little more...thoroughly."  
He felt the color drain from his face.  
"Would if I could, sensei, but I have matters at the inn to which I must attend," he said, trying to keep the nervousness in his voice concealed.  
Kashiwagi pouted, "Oh boo. Maybe next time."  
Michael swallowed hard.  
 _What a narrow escape,_ he thought.

After school had been dismissed, the group met up once again at their usual spot in the Junes food court.  
"Blegh, exams again..." Chie groaned, "It's been awhile since I failed any subjects."  
Yosuke scoffed, "Yeah if by 'awhile' you mean 'all the time'."  
Chie looked taken aback.  
"Sh-shut up! Like you've ever seen my scores!"  
"My mom would've killed me if I ever failed any of my classes," Kyrie murmured.  
"But Yosuke-kun, Chie always gets above average marks in the subjects she doesn't fail!" Yukiko chimed in.  
Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat.  
"I don't think you're helping, darlin'."  
Chie's face grew flushed, "Y-Yeah! Why'd you have to tell him?! My scores just...vary! Yeah, that's it!"  
Out of nowhere, Rise let out a loud giggle. Everyone turned to face the young idol in surprise.  
"Rise-chan, y-you're making fun of me too?" Chie asked with a pout.  
Rise shook her head.  
"S-sorry, I'm not laughing at you. It's just that I thought it would take me awhile to make friends at my new school."  
"I'm just sorry we met under such awful circumstances," Chie said sadly.  
"I wouldn't have met you guys without them, so I guess I came out the winner in the end," Rise said cheerily.  
"Well, she knows how to put a positive spin on things. That's a useful skill in our current endeavors," Michael said.  
"Speaking of," Yosuke began, "let's talk about the Morooka case. We're positive he didn't show up on TV, right?"  
Everyone turned to look at Teddie.  
"He never came to the other side, I guarantee it. My nose may not work so well anymore, but I can be sure of that much."  
"But they found the body on a foggy day, didn't they? They said on the news the body was found in the same way as Ms. Yamano and Saki-senpai's," Chie stated.  
"Someone being killed on a foggy day isn't necessarily connected to the TV," Michael said.  
"How do you mean?" Narukami asked.  
"The fog provides excellent cover to perform any sort of malicious business. Should a criminally-inclined individual seek to commit murder, I should think they would do so under the cover of the fog to eliminate the possibility of witnesses."  
The group considered this for a moment.  
"I really wonder about the culprit's motives...why target Mr. Morooka?" Yukiko asked.  
"Tch, sure hope it wasn't personal. There were way too many people who hated his guts to narrow it down to one," Kanji replied.  
"Besides, didn't you say it's only people who get famous on TV who are targeted?" Rise added.  
"Yeah, it's what we thought anyway," Narukami said.  
Rise thought for a moment.  
"Well in that case, I picture the culprit as someone who doesn't know the victims at all. I don't think it's worth trying to figure out motives for that type."  
Michael nodded, "I think we can confirm the culprit is a serial killer. In which case, there are no 'motives' per se, but rather a general characteristic or set of characteristics that tie the victims together."  
"Exactly. Depending on who you are, there are too many people who hold grudges against you for no reason, even if you never met them before," Rise explained.  
Chie looked concerned.  
"You sound like you're speaking from experience, Rise-chan. But with King Moron, he didn't appear on the regular TV or the Midnight Channel. Ugh, this doesn't make sense at all!"  
Kanji shook his head.  
"Man, two victims from our school. That's gotta set off the police's alarm bells. They're not gonna leave any stones unturned."  
"I'm gonna be honest," Yosuke began, "Somewhere deep inside, I thought maybe King Moron was the killer."  
"Explain," Michael said.  
"The news says he was the second victim from Yasogami High, but we all know that's not the case. Plus, I've heard him say more than once so-and-so deserves to die. But now, I feel bad I doubted him. He was a capital-A asshole, but that doesn't justify killing him."  
"Surprisingly well said, Yosuke," Michael said.  
"Whoever is doing this, I can't forgive them!" Kyrie said passionately.  
"We will get justice for them," Narukami said with serious certainty.  
"For King Moron too!" Chie added  
Just like that, the mood amongst them was strengthened with unified resolve.  
Chie pumped her fist.  
"We can assume now that the killer must have ties to our school! So why don't we split up and-"  
She was cut off by a familiar voice that caused Michael's blood to begin to boil.  
"That won't be necessary."  
The group turned and saw Naoto Shirogene approaching them, a self-assured air to his stride as usual.  
"Y-You..." Kanji stammered, his face turning red.  
"There is no need to examine the case of Mr. Morooka any further," Naoto said coolly.  
"Why do you say that?" Chie asked.  
"The police have found a suspect. It would be best to let them handle the case from here," Naoto replied.  
"How do you know that?" Yosuke asked.  
"I am on this case as a special investigator at the request of the prefectural police."  
Yosuke jumped from his seat.  
"What?!"  
"Who is it?!" Chie cried.  
"But that's impossible!" Kyrie added.  
"Sit down and lower your voices, lest you make this case a store-wide concern," Michael snapped.  
With reddened faces, they did so. Naoto continued his explanation.  
"As to his name, I haven't been informed. I do know that he is a high schooler. it isn't public knowledge yet, but I do know he isn't a student at your school. It seems they are quite confident that this boy is the killer."  
"But you aren't," Michael observed.  
Naoto averted his gaze, "They have testimonies linking him with the incident."  
"Which incident specifically?" Michael pressed.  
"Mr. Morooka's."  
Michael's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.  
"Soon this case will be closed and your town can go back to being its usual peaceful, rustic self," Naoto said, a condescending tone in his voice.  
"So why tell us this?" Narukami asked.  
"Yeah, isn't it confidential information?" Yosuke added.  
"Your little game will soon reach its end. I just thought it best to let you know that."  
Michael felt the rage in his gut well up and it was all he could do to prevent the verbal bile from erupting from his lungs. Surprisingly, the first to reply was the calm and collected Narukami.  
"This isn't a game to us," he said, a slight shake to his voice.  
"You don't deny, then, that you have involved yourselves in the matter?" Naoto asked.  
"That's none of your business, son. I reckon you're out of a job now," Michael said bitterly.  
Naoto's calm visage was broken for mere moments, a quick look of hurt coming across his features.  
"A game...?" Rise said coldly.  
Naoto raised an eyebrow at her.  
"Aren't you the one who thinks of this as a game?!" Rise snapped.  
"...what did you say?" Naoto hissed.  
"I don't care if you're a special investigator or an amateur sleuth, all you're doing is solving mysteries. What could you possibly know about us? You're the only one who's playing a game here!"  
"One of the victims, she meant a lot to me. How could I treat this as a game?" Yosuke said bitterly.  
"Another was a guest at my guardians' inn. Where I sleep, where Yukiko sleeps!" Michael snarled.  
"Michael-kun..." Yukiko exhaled and placed a calming hand on his arm.  
"Besides," Yosuke turned to look at Teddie, "we made a promise."  
"Y-Yosuke..." Teddie said, a tear coming to his eye.  
To their surprise, Naoto gave a small smile.  
"A game...that may be quite true."  
They exchanged confused looks.  
"Why are you so understanding all of a sudden?" Chie asked.  
Yosuke snickered, "Oh, I get it. I was wondering why you'd be wandering around like this when the police have a suspect. It's like Michael said, isn't it? They got rid of you because they got their man. That's why you came around here, because you're lonely?"  
Naoto chuckled, "Detectives aren't normally involved in arrests and we never harbor any special feelings in regards the cases either."  
His face began to fall.  
"Still, it is rather unfortunate that people are only attentive so long as our services are required. Then again, I am accustomed to it."  
Kanji grumbled to himself, but said nothing.  
Naoto continued, "Much about this case was perplexing, but the solution was surprisingly simple...anyway, I have taken up enough of your time. I will be going now."  
With that, the young man turned on his heel and walked away.  
"So...that's it? He just said his piece and left?" Chie asked.  
Michael shrugged, "He comes off as the sort who needs to get the last word."  
"I mean, he said they have a suspect. So is this really gonna solve everything?" Chie sounded unconvinced.  
Yosuke sighed.  
"Who knows..."  
"We won't know until the Midnight Channel comes on again! R-right?" Kyrie said.  
"Right," Narukami confirmed as he rose to his feet.  
"That being said, we should probably call it a day here," he announced.  
"He's right, we should get a head start on our studies," Yukiko advised, rising to her feet as well.  
The others looked less than pleased.  
"Yeah...whatever," Kanji groaned.  
"I'm not worried about exams, I have the best study partner right here," Rise said cheerily, batting her eyelashes at Narukami.  
"I-I never agreed to-" he stammered, but her puppy-dog eyes put that objection to rest quickly.  
"You kids have fun," Michael said with a smirk.  
With that, the team went their separate ways.


End file.
